ML Interest Tag: diet

3 Ways to Instill Healthy Habits in Our Kids

By Geoff Tripp

As parents, it’s our duty to teach our kids the importance of healthy nutrition and physical activity, but what good does it do if we don’t practice what we preach? If you are struggling to establish and stick with healthy habits yourself, have your kid’s health serve as motivation.

As primary role models, it will be more effective to serve as examples of good practices. The impact we have on our little ones, especially in their early years, can affect their lifelong decision-making. We are responsible for providing an environment that helps our children maintain a lifest‌yle that is beneficial to their health. The secret to successfully teaching your kids to develop healthy habits that will stay with them throughout their lives is to practice those habits together. Here are some tips to help you teach your kiddos the importance of proper nutrition and exercise.

1. Promote a Healthy Balanced Diet: Just like us, our kids need to consume foods and beverages that are packed with nutrients to fuel their bodies with energy. You don’t need to force healthy foods onto your children, but rather teach them the benefits of eating them. Explain to them that eating food full of vitamins, minerals, protein, healthy fats and carbohydrates, will give their muscles energy to move and feel great while eating a heavily salted, greasy, or sugary meal will make them feel sluggish. Nutrient-rich foods and beverages filled with potassium, calcium, vitamin D, and dietary fiber are essential to their development. Foods to include in their daily diet are fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein (seafood, lean meats, eggs, beans, peas), and low-fat dairy products, including milk, yogurt, cheese, or non-dairy products such as almond milk.

You don’t need to deprive your kids of the things they love to eat, even if it’s unhealthy, but it is important to stress that moderation is key. Avoid getting fast food regularly and focus on feeding your kids home-cooked meals. When you are eating fruits and vegetables, make sure to express how good they taste and how great you feel after eating them.

Remember to praise your kids when they make healthy food choices by giving them a thumbs up or a high-five!

2. Involve Them in Meal Prepping: A great way to teach kids about the importance of a balanced diet is with food preparation. Use cooking time to teach your little ones about basic nutrition and the importance of vegetable and fruit consumption. Preparing meals with your kids that include lots of healthy nutritious options will increase the chance of them making healthier choices as they get older.

It is important to prioritize making this time a fun, positive experience; make them feel like they are an essential part of the meal-prepping process by giving them the title of “head chef,” for instance. Another idea is to have your kids help prepare healthy snacks that are fun to make—like “ants on a log” (celery, peanut butter and raisins). You can also have them use cookie cutters to cut sandwiches into fun shapes or turn a fruit salad into a fun art project.

One thing you might want to consider is taking your kids grocery shopping. It can be helpful when explaining to them how to make better choices by going down the aisles, educating them on why certain foods are more nutritious than others.

3. Get Active Together: The best thing you can do to help your kids have an active lifest‌yle is to have one yourself. Making fitness a part of your life will naturally become a part of theirs. Having them involved in your physical activity is a great way to teach them about the importance of fitness. As a role model, if they see you being physically active and having fun, they would like to join in on the fun as well!

Participating in activities as a family is a great way to spend quality time together while getting some exercise. Focus on making exercising a fun activity—if kids are not enjoying themselves, they will avoid getting involved in the future so keep it lighthearted and positive. As a family, play sports, take short hikes, do a couple of treks around the block, walk the dog, play dance video games, etc. You can also make it more interactive by doing an outdoor scavenger hunt or a mini-marathon event with race numbers and a finish line. Having a set-up with props will make it more fun and enjoyable for the kids.

While it’s never too late to start making healthy changes in your family, the earlier your kids learn healthy behaviors, the better. As role models who are continually being observed by our kids, don’t miss the opportunity to implement habits that will help them maintain a healthy lifest‌yle.

Geoff brings a passion for health and fitness and over a decade of exercise programming experience to Trainiac. He spends his free time training for Ultra Marathons and resides in a small mountain town in Washington with his wife and two young children.

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Study Says Children May Not Grow Out of Picky Eating Habits

by Jennifer Swartvagher

Once a picky eater, always a picky eater? Science says that may be the case. If your little one often pushes away or refuses to take a bite of a veggie they don’t like, don’t expect them to grow out of it anytime in the near future. 

According to a study by the University of Michigan, by four-years-old children could be established picky eaters. Additionally, controlling or trying to restrict your child’s diet may backfire causing them to become more finicky. 

baby eating watermelon

“Picky eating is common during childhood and parents often hear that their children will eventually ‘grow out of it.’ But that’s not always the case,” says senior author Megan Pesch, M.D., a developmental behavioral pediatrician at Michigan Medicine C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.

Researchers found that fussy eaters tend to have a lower body mass index and are not underweight. It is also less likely that they will be overweight or experience obesity. 

“We still want parents to encourage varied diets at young ages, but our study suggests that they can take a less controlling approach,” Pesch says. That being said “we need more research to better understand how children’s limited food choices impact healthy weight gain and growth long term.”

The study followed 317 mother-child pairs from low-income homes over a four-year period. Families reported on children’s eating habits and mothers’ behaviors and attitudes about feeding when children were four, five, six, eight and nine.

From preschool to school-age, picky eating habits were stable which indicates that any attempt to expand food choices may need to happen during the toddler or preschool years in order to be effective. High picky eating was associated with lower BMIs and low picky eating with higher BMIs. 

Increased pressure to eat and food restrictions was closely associated with reinforcing picky eating habits. This backs up the research conducted by Mott Children’s Hospital. Pressuring children to eat foods they dislike will not lead to a well-rounded diet later in life. 

Certain child characteristics, including sex, birth order, and socioeconomic status, also have been associated with persistence of picky eating.

“We found that children who were pickier had mothers who reported more restriction of unhealthy foods and sweets,” Pesch says. “These mothers of picky eaters may be trying to shape their children’s preferences for more palatable and selective diets to be more healthful. But it may not always have the desired effect.”

It is unknown if children who are picky eaters would have become even more selective if they did not receive higher levels of controlling feeding behaviors, Pesch says. She says future studies should investigate interventions around maternal feeding and child picky eating.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Dazzle Jam from Pexels

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Tired of Fighting with Your Picky Eater? Then Try This Method

By Joanna Olson

The Division of Responsibility will change the way you feed your child forever, for the better. It’s hands down, by far, the most valuable concept I learned while getting my Master’s Degree in Nutritional Science. I use it all day, every day, when feeding my daughter.

If you’ve found yourself making two meals, feeling like mealtimes have become a battleground for picky eating, or if you are worrying they are eating too much, too little, or not the right foods, this post is for you.

The Backstory:

My daughter was born healthy, but on the smaller side at 6 pounds 4 ounces. I remembered a family member telling me that since I didn’t eat meat, my baby would be too small, and I questioned my feeding choices. When my daughter was 9 months old, a routine test revealed she was low in iron, and I worried about her diet. But this wasn’t the only time I questioned my mothering skills and worried about her. I worried if she was getting enough breastmilk, I worried how much she was sleeping, I worried about her getting sick. I worried a lot as a new mom, and it was exhausting.

This worry and desire to be a good parent carried over into my feeding practices. Although her low iron resolved itself at her 1-year checkup and she continued to thrive, I remained focused on her eating. I wanted to make sure she was eating enough calories, enough protein, enough iron, enough Omega-3s.

Fortunately, I took my first pediatric nutrition class around this time and learned about the Division of Responsibility. It was like a light bulb went off in my head. Instinctively, because of my desire to be the best parent for my child, I had been trying to control her eating. I wasn’t allowing her to listen to her hunger and fullness cues. I wasn’t trusting her.

Following the Division of Responsibility allowed me to bring the joy back to mealtime. I set aside my desire to control her eating and allowed her the opportunity to listen to what her body was telling her. It gave me a blueprint for feeding my daughter and allowed me to relax and enjoy family meals again.

 

The Division of Responsibility: What Is It?

The Division of Responsibility is an evidence-based way to feed your child created by Registered Dietitian and Feeding Expert Ellyn Satter. It helps children learn to listen to their bodies and form a healthy, lifelong relationship with food. Organizations including The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, The American Academy of Pediatrics, Head Start and WIC recommend this feeding method.

The Division of Responsibility says that parents and children have unique jobs when it comes to eating.

  • The parent’s job is to decide what, when, and where to eat. Parents choose and prepare the food for regular meals and sit-down snacks. The parent’s job is over when the food is on the table.
  • The child’s job is to decide how much and whether or not to eat. Trust your child to eat the right amount for their body. Allow them to eat when hungry and stop when full. If they don’t want to eat something, don’t make them.

Essentially, it allows you to set boundaries during mealtimes by taking charge of when, where and what your child will eat while giving your child the freedom to listen to their body’s hunger and fullness cues by deciding how much and if they will eat.

 

Start Now by Following These 6 Tips

1. Schedule mealtimes. Set regular meals and snack times that your child can count on, but don’t serve food between these times. This helps them come to the table hungry.
2. Serve meals family st‌yle. Instead of plating their food, put each dish in the middle of the table and let everyone serve themselves. This encourages your child to eat intuitively and become a confident eater. If your child doesn’t take some of each food, that’s okay.
3. Don’t cater to your child. Instead of asking your child what they want or making special meals for them, take their likes and dislikes into account. Include at least 1 or 2 foods they typically eat at each meal (side dishes are fine).
4. Don’t pressure them to eat. It might be tempting to encourage your child to eat their vegetables or take “one more bite,” but pressuring your child does not help them learn to like vegetables in the long run. In fact, it may harm their self-regulation or cause them to become pickier eaters.
5. Allow your child to eat intuitively. Kids should choose what and how much of each food you serve. Select mostly healthy options and allow them to eat as many helpings of each food as they want, or none at all. Focus on enjoying your food and allow them to do the same. Over time, they will learn to like many of the same foods you do.
6. But let them eat cake! Serving only “healthy” foods and forcing them to pick from “good” options may seem like a good idea at first. Although it’s great to include mostly nutrient-packed foods in your child’s meals or snacks, aim for a balance. Restricting food, especially sweet, salty, or high-fat foods, may backfire and lead to a child desiring the food even more, sneaking the food, or overeating when they have the chance. It doesn’t teach them to eat intuitively. Offer dessert regularly, without strings attached. Don’t make them eat their veggies or clean their plate.

 

It’s a Learning Process

If the Division of Responsibility is new, it might take time for you and your family to adjust. It’s common for kids to test these new boundaries but stay the course and trust that over time they will start listening to their bodies intuitively and including new foods into their diet.

Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t perfect the Division of Responsibility right away. The more you practice, the easier it becomes. Some areas may come easier than others.

This post originally appeared on https://raisedonveggies.com/.

Joanna has her Master's degree in Nutritional Science with a focus in pediatric nutrition. She is a vegan mama to her three year old and is passionate about helping families raise healthy eaters. By inspiring others to cook with their kids, she hopes to bring the fun back to mealtime.  

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Finding Your Goodness During Quarantine

By Amelia Johnson

Every day I sit across from my son’s face, and watch him do zoom calls with his class. This time, this weird strange time has brought about so many different emotions and feelings inside of all of us. Some have found that they can handle it. They can get through, and some have found that it’s just too much.

Mostly I’ve seen bread. So much baking. The virus has changed our world in so many ways, for the better and for the worse. We have found love in many different places that we didn’t think we could find it—in our neighbors, in stores, in delivery people, and mail carriers. Everyone has had to step up their kindness game. There are acts of love every day I see on my walk. Chalk on the ground telling you to keep going, that there is a universal love, that we’re all in this together. Neighbors checking in on the elderly, asking if they can do grocery shopping, their cars washed, if they need anything. Delivery people with masks and gloves, risking their lives to keep going for you!

I have figured out the things that work and don’t work for us, and I guarantee it’s not the same for everyone, but it helps to hear stories. It helps to find the goodness or the good moments in the day or week. Homeschooling is hard for me—mainly because I am not a teacher and I have a precious son who wants me to be a part of every single assignment—but also because I have a 5th grader who’s common core math is way above my head.

The other hardest thing for me has been navigating grocery shopping and cooking (and baking) for my son with celiac. I used to have a grocery routine. I would go to three different stores to find the right gluten-free food product. Now, I mostly count on grocery delivery and some of them don’t get it right. Although this is a minor problem in the overall world right now, it’s been a bit of a challenge. And, baking gluten-free (which I want to do as stress relief) isn’t going too well.

I am lucky. I know that every day. But navigating the world now and the whole way of finding the stuff that is needed to sustain a gluten-free diet is just different and hard. I have had many missteps, and my poor family has eaten it with smiles. “Oh Mom this is good!” But it was not good—I tried it myself, but I think they know that everything is hard now and want me to feel okay too. I did make one amazing gluten-free deep dish pizza though!

We have tried to keep busy with crafts, online museums, shows of love and gratitude online, and connecting with friends and loved ones through Zoom and Facetime. Drive-by birthdays and zooms have become the norm, and do bring love and happiness to my kid’s faces. We made armor out of the cardboard boxes that we got (after leaving them to quarantine outside for three days.) We have put up messages with Magna-Tiles on the garage door about the virus (they stick because they are magnetic.) We’ve caught lizards in the backyard, and made cards and love notes to send to many of our friends and family so they know we’re there for them.

Try, try try, I implore you to find a moment in a week for yourself, to have a self-love moment. We all need it. We all need the seconds in the day where we can say, I’m doing my very best, I’m working as hard as I can at keeping a normal house, a normal-ish life.  Even if it’s a bathroom break that’s a bit longer than usual. Take that time for yourself. You’re doing great!

 

I am a stay at home mom with two kids who are 9 and 11. My family is one of the most adventurous that I know. We believe in learning through experiences! I started a website about interesting places we have found in Los Angeles to do with kids. 

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How I Finally Shed My Baby Weight

By Donna Glass

I have struggled to manage a healthy weight all my life. As a kid and into my teen years, I was always a bit chunkier than my peers, something that continued into adulthood. I’ve always been envious of other women with slim figures that seem to take minimal effort to maintain. The only time I can really remember being truly svelte was in college, mostly due to my obsession with dance classes and step aerobics, and lack of time to eat due to my busy schedule.  

Things radically changed in my early 40s when I had a baby. Not only did my son weigh 10-and-a half pounds at birth, but I was also labeled a borderline diabetic during my pregnancy. Even though some of the weight temporarily came off during breastfeeding, it kept creeping up to the point where buttoning up my pants had become a real struggle. I would gasp when I saw my reflection and think, “Is that really me?”

Well into middle age, I knew it was time to take action, and not only for vanity’s sake. My health was in question, as I was diagnosed with high blood pressure for the first time in my life. I also knew from past attempts at dieting that this wasn’t going to be easy. After all, I have a raging sweet tooth and a deep abiding love of carbohydrates, which went along with my tendency to be inconsistent in making good food choices.

I needed professional guidance, and frankly a bit of a kick in the rear. In January, I turned to a medical weight loss clinic for help.

Feeling both excited and nervous to get going, I was greeted with a smile and warm welcome at my meeting. A diet counselor took me into a private room and gave me a packet containing in-depth guides to what I can and cannot eat, all based on the Keto diet.

In a nutshell, the Keto diet consists of foods that are low carb, high fat, and high protein. It sounds ironic that high-fat foods like bacon, cheese, and full-fat cream are part of the plan, but my diet counselor explained high-fat foods function as an appetite suppressant to keep you fuller for a longer period of time. All I heard was that I could eat bacon on this diet. Maybe it’s not so bad after all. 

I quickly figured out that there were some “tricks” to making the Keto diet work for me:

1. Cooking is Key. If you don’t like to cook and rely a lot on take-out or pre-prepared meals, Keto may not be the diet for you. Carbs hide everywhere in our food, so the only way to really ensure that your food is low carb/high protein/high fat as possible is to make it yourself. Fortunately, there are a plethora of Keto recipes online; I’ve discovered that many of them are quite easy and relatively fast to make. One of my favorite is Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken served over zucchini noodles, with a side salad. If you have kids, they will most likely enjoy your Keto dishes if there’s a small number of carbs (like noodles) added to their meals.

2. If You Love Sugar, Let Yourself Have Treats. Even though many Keto diet experts would disagree with my rationale, I knew that I needed to find a way to satisfy my sweet tooth. By making my own baked goods using carb-friendly ingredients such as almond flour and monk fruit sweetener, I could make Keto-friendly treats.

3. Make Yourself Accountable. My plan required me to attend weekly weigh-in and nutrition counseling sessions at their offices. Reporting kept me honest and focused. If you are doing Keto on your own, create your own accountability strategy. It could be weighing yourself at home, or having a diet buddy on the same plan with whom you check in regularly.

4. Engage in Mild to Moderate Exercise. With Keto, you end up eating a smaller number of calories, so doing high impact exercise in addition to dieting is too much for many people. In fact, some experts recommend sticking to low impact exercise, especially for the first few weeks as your body adjusts. I take a daily brisk walk, but going swimming or doing yoga would be appropriate as well.

5. Track Your Food…Or Really, Your Carbs. Eating the right amount of carbs, protein, and fat required on Keto, while tracking calories, has it challenges. I used a daily food tracking app to keep me honest and informed.

While it may sound crazy to be able to eat items like bacon, there is a dose of healthy vegetables thrown into the mix, and foods like traditional bread and crackers are decidedly off the table, but it’s surprising how varied a Keto diet can be if you put a little work and thought into it.

After 30 days, I had lost a total of nearly 11 pounds, and my body fat percentage dropped by nearly 2 percent. With these kinds of results, I am decidedly motivated to keep going until I’m back to my pre-baby weight. I can’t wait to catch myself in a reflection of a glass or a mirror, and think, “Is that really me?” And then happily answer, “Yes, it is!”

 

I had the incredible fortune of becoming a mom later in life, long after I expected I would. I live with a silly and awesome boy, a great hubby and a stubborn adorable dog. Life is sweet, but even better when I get to write about it. 

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Mindful Eating & 3 Ways to Cut Out Sugar

By Maria Sofia

Growing up in an Italian household I was taught to eat everything on my plate at a very young age. My mom made homemade meals everyday. In fact, all meals were always eaten at the table with my entire family, it was our family bonding time. My mom didn’t believe in restrictions; however, the only thing we were not able to eat was sugar. Sugar was a staple product in our pantry however it was only used for special occasions. 

I never believed in cutting sugar or food completely out of my diet. I enjoy food too much to enforce restrictions. In fact, the more I feel restricted the more I rebel and its the same when it comes to food. 

As a health coach, the first thing I teach my clients is to create a healthy lifestyle. That’s right, I said a lifestyle, not diet. I think what we need to do is stop telling ourselves that we are “going on a diet” but rather help ourselves understand the importance of creating a long last healthy relationship with food.

Secondly, I work with clients to understand how stress affects them. We are all affected by stress differently. I realized after all my hardships that I am an emotional eater and when under extreme amounts of stress, I seek comfort in food. Once I became aware that I was actually doing this I was able to change and develop tools to cope.

If you are an emotional eater, then you need to go within yourself and take time to become aware of and understand your triggers, only then you can learn how to control them. Once you do, you will be able to still enjoy your favorite treats in moderation. If you don’t feel you can do this on your own, work with a certified health coach could make a world of a difference.

The key is portion control, not restriction or elimination. It’s about eating foods that nourish your body—which in fact will help you crave less sugar. A craving towards sugar is your body telling you its missing something maybe you are lacking certain vitamins. From an emotional standpoint, we are searching for a quick fix, but often after we have it, we end up feeling guilty or not well.

Today I look at my meals in a mindful way, I called it mindful eating. Each person’s body is unique, we all react differently to foods and so our lifestyle should focus on eating foods that give us energy rather than take it away. Having excessive” amounts of sugar can cause negative effects on our bodies such as Type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypertension, cholesterol, allergies, tooth decay, and cardiovascular disease.

This is why it’s important to understand how sugar reacts in our bodies and become aware and mindful of eating foods that nourish and provide us energy in healthy ways.

Understanding the difference between simple and complex carbohydrates’ can go a long way in mindful eating. For instance, simple carbohydrates are digested and absorbed quickly and they provide a quick burst of energy followed by a crash.

Complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, are sugars that take the body longer to breakdown and are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber.  Some examples of complex carbohydrates are millet, quinoa, brown rice, and veggies. These are great because they do not spike your blood sugar levels quite so drastically as simple carbohydrates and help provide you the energy to sustain throughout the day.

Here are 3 quick tips for eating sugar in a healthier way:

1. Eat more fruits and vegetables containing natural sugar throughout the day this will help control your sugar cravings. Fruits that are naturally lower in sugar are raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, kiwi, grapefruit, watermelon, oranges, peaches, and cantaloupe.

2. Switch soda for filtered water—get a little crazy, add raspberries, lemon or any fruit if you desire this will help you boost your metabolism. Tip: Try drinking a cup of lemon water on an empty stomach in the morning help flush toxins and boost your metabolism.

3. Switch from processed sugar to natural sugars and use organic honey, organic maple syrup brown sugar or coconut sugar. If this change is too drastic, I recommend cutting down first, so if you use usually use two sugars then move to use only one at first to slowly ween yourself away from it. And you should stay away from any artificial sweeteners.

If you want a fun and easy way to explain sugar to your children considering purchasing my book called “Mommy, Can I Eat This?” I wrote it to help parents and children understand the importance of watching your daily intake of sugar. 

 

Maria Sofia’s life mission—inspired by her personal struggles with weight loss —is to educate parents and teachers on the importance of teaching nutrition to young children. Maria is a certified Health, Life and Trauma Coach. She is currently working toward her PhD in holistic health and lives in Toronto.

 

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Stay at Home Mom Shame

By Catherine Buhler

My husband recently went to a few work dinners with colleagues. You know, the kind that involves a certain level of schmoozing with vendors and a good amount of red meat. He also has the opportunity to meet up with work friends during his workday lunches.  

Coming home from one particular work dinner, I just couldn’t stand it anymore.  

I hadn’t worn a bra all day and I wasn’t able to shower until 3pm. Not by choice. Samantha was sick, I was sick, the house was a mess (to say the least), laundry was needed and our dishes were overflowing out of the sink.  

I ended up spending the day deep cleaning bathrooms and trying to keep my toddler entertained while fighting off the urge to turn on Elmo for her.  

HUSBAND: “We went to Clifton’s in Downtown LA…They are known for their fried chicken, but I had pork, it was good. The restaurant has a really cool ambiance. Definitely an after-work bar atmosphere.”

ME: “So..what was it like?”

HUSBAND: “What was what like?”

ME: “Having an uninterrupted dinner? Describe the meat for me. Did it melt in your mouth? Did you get a side? What music were they playing? Did you get to have a discussion about the weather? The election? Did you get to eat your meal without someone crawling into your lap and hounding you for another cup of juice, a graham cracker, a cookie, a story, a show, a tissue, a…..I NEED A BREAK!!!!”  

Whoa. Catherine has officially lost all her marbles. Seriously. They shot out everywhere and her poor husband didn’t even get a chance to run for cover.  

Peyton calmly approached the scene of the massacre…”well why didn’t you say so? I would love to watch Samantha for you when I come home from work. Go get a pedicure. Go to the store alone. Go drive-true McDonalds and get 3 sugar cookies and a diet coke. Do. It.” It was at this time that I truly knew this man loved me (and my addiction to McDonalds sugar cookies. Seriously, have you had them?)  

I stepped back and realized that I have been overloading my plate with numerous (and UNNECESSARY errands) like Lowes (for spray paint!) and Joanns (for unneeded craft projects). Don’t even get me started on all the countless trips to HomeGoods to try and find The. Perfect. Bathroom. Rug. (helpful side note- It doesn’t exist.)  

So I took up him on the offer. I mean…of course I did. I went to Ralphs. I took my dang sweet time perusing the dairy aisle. Wow, whats this new yogurt? Ohhhh, Halloween candy. You know, all the things that you don’t get to look at when your toddler is running away from you and spilling juice in aisle 10?  

It was glorious. I got everything on my list, and a candy bar at check out because I didn’t have to share it with a two year old on my ride home. I was able to find out that they do indeed have Israeli Cous Cous (aisle 5) and the frozen fruit for smoothies is actually next to the frozen pizza, NOT the frozen vegetables, like you would’ve thought.  

I came to the realization that I need to do this more often. I need to take a freaking break. I have come to understand that my brain becomes to mush after 5pm. Somewhere in between incentives of chocolate chips for potty training and trying to reason with someone wearing a Rapunzel dress, bad things happen to a good person.  

So now, I vow to take a break. Will you? Take a breather. Step back from the messy house and walk (or run) to the nearest mall without feeling SHAMEFUL for being honest with yourself for needing some quiet time.  

I can’t do it all. I can’t even do half of it. But one day I will. Not today. But someday. Today I will take a mommy time-out, go get a $1 Diet Coke, and I will be a better person when I come back to Rapunzel. Join me on this adventure. Say it with me, I will not be ASHAMED of my needs for a break!    

Okay, thats enough. Peyton is home and I am heading to the library so I can sit uninterrupted for 30 minutes and read a book I can’t put down. Peace Out.    

Huge Shout out and fist bumps to the husbands (especially mine) who let us have 2 seconds to ourselves and encourage us to take a break. These men have learned the true value of “happy wife, happy life,” and I adore them for it.

Hi, i'm Cat! We live in Orlando, Florida where my husband works for Mickey Mouse (no, really). We have two kids, Samantha (5) & Preston (2). I suffer from a chronic illness called Short Bowel Syndrome. My ramblings are dedicated to travel adventures, nap time confessions and my medical journey. Cheers!

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I Have Officially Become the Mother I Used to Judge

By Catherine Buhler

‌

Let me paint you a picture… Your friends decide its about time for a girls day out lunch. How fun! Of course, I am in! What a great idea! I will bring Samantha with a peanut butter sandwich and it will be awesome. Isn’t being a stay at home Mom the best?!

I get to the restaurant starving and ready to relax with my girlfriends…And then reality sits in. Samantha realizes she doesn’t fancy the high chair that has been provided for us. And you know what, she doesn’t want her sandwich, either. You know what Samantha wants? To run away from her Mother and spill water all over the table. Her plan for my girls lunch was very different than mine. In fact, I spent little time interacting with the girls and more time controlling tantrums and threatening (with love)! for her to behave at the exit.

Finally my amazing friend grabbed Sam from me and took her outside for a bit so I could have a bite and sulk in pity. We eventually left early. I now have a toddler and my life is over. No, just kidding (Kind of).

But, seriously, toddlers are not for the weak, dude. I remember sitting there with my newborn and looking at toddlers thinking, that looks so fun! I can’t wait for Samantha to play with me and talk to me and giggle. Now, don’t get me wrong. We giggle a whole lot in the Buhler household. But, no one tells you this whole Mom thing may be the hardest thing you have ever done in your whole life. In between Goodnight Moon (124th time) and food spills (almost daily) I have to remind myself that I am doing an awesome job and some days all you have to excel at is keeping them alive.

I also remember a time when I was newly married, getting a full and refreshing 8 hours of sleep and the only bum I had to wipe was my own. I would sit there and gander at Moms. “Oh, my kid will never have a paci longer than 6 months.” “My child will never talk back to me.” “I plan on making different Pinterest FHE packets for every week of the year.” “My toddler will never behave like that in public.” Yes, sadly Catherine does remember those days. …and I am here to admit it, apologize and eat some humble pie. Because as I sat there trying to talk sense into a 19 month old while prying her off the dirty Shanghai sidewalk from her meltdown, I closed my eyes, and said to myself, “You are THAT mother, and it is OKAY.”

I think we (Catherine included) have placed too much pressure on ourselves and eachother to be the BEST mother out there. “Look at my child, potty trained at 6 months. It only took 3 hours!” “What do you mean, you didn’t breastfeed for 12 months?” “I never let my children eat anything unless its organic, glutten-free, pesticide free, and is deliciously inedible.” Why do we do this to ourselves? Its exhausting. Okay, Catherine is exhausted. But thats besides the point. It is okay to give your child peanut butter and jelly for lunch every once in awhile. It is okay to let Elmo offer them a dose of education so you can take a quick shower. You don’t need to feel guilty. Because in the end, your child isn’t going to remember how many times you gave him broccoli or goldfish. He will remember the way you showed him love, the way you excelled at kisses and the encouragement you always provided.

I love being a Mom, I know I will look back on these days with fond memories. But, I also know I shouldn’t waste time with my Children worrying if I am doing everything the “right way.” What is the right way, anyways? I am almost positive (about 95.67%)  that there is not one right way to raise them. Thank goodness!

A small update to that girls day lunch- Catherine rewarded herself with a Diet Coke when she got home. Samantha doesn’t even remember throwing herself on the ground screaming and hopefully all of the city has forgotten it, as well.

Hi, i'm Cat! We live in Orlando, Florida where my husband works for Mickey Mouse (no, really). We have two kids, Samantha (5) & Preston (2). I suffer from a chronic illness called Short Bowel Syndrome. My ramblings are dedicated to travel adventures, nap time confessions and my medical journey. Cheers!

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Celiac Disease in Kids: You’ve Got Questions, We Have the Answers

by Erin Lem
Partner Content

Gluten-free food products dot the grocery aisle shelves and for many, adhering to a gluten-free diet is a necessity. Why? Celiac Disease, an immune mediated disease, can affect as high as 1% of the population in North America, according to Dr. Nasha Khavari, is a clinical associate professor and the director of the Stanford Children’s Health Celiac Disease Center. We recently asked Dr. Khavari about Celiac Disease in children and what parents can do to better identify and manage the disease (beyond only going gluten free). If you have a hunch someone in your family may be affected by Celiac Disease or want to learn more regarding proper diagnosis and treatment, read on to hear from Dr. Khavari.

Can you tell us what exactly Celiac Disease is and its instance in children? At what age are kids usually diagnosed?

Dr. Khavari: Celiac Disease is an immune mediated disease in genetically predisposed individuals. It can be triggered by eating/ingestion of gluten-containing foods, including wheat, rye, barley, and oats. The incidence of Celiac Disease may be as high as 1% of the population in North America.

What are the proper steps and procedures for determining a Celiac Disease diagnosis in a young child?

Dr. Khavari: If a child has either symptoms concerning for Celiac Disease or is at risk for Celiac Disease (a family history of a first-degree relative or other related disease), we ask that they are screened for Celiac Disease. The disease can present and range from no symptoms at all to significant malabsorption, failure to thrive and weight loss. Our Stanford Children’s Health Celiac Disease care team would begin with an initial visit, followed by the diagnostic work up with laboratory testing. If this testing results are concerning, diagnosis is usually confirmed with a procedure called an upper endoscopy.

My five-year-old complains about tummy aches. Is this a sign of Celiac Disease? Is there anything I can look out for to know if this is normal or if there’s a reason to be concerned?

Dr. Khavari: Abdominal pain can be a sign of Celiac Disease. It can also be very common symptom in children without Celiac Disease. However, some of the more traditional ways Celiac Disease presents include symptoms of abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloating, and problems with gaining weight or height.

With that said, some children with Celiac Disease have no symptoms at all making it very important to be tested if your child is in a higher risk category.

With the New Year, I want my family to eat healthier and am considering cutting out gluten our diet. Is this a good idea for my family’s overall health? What are the negative factors to consider before we eliminate gluten from our child’s diet?

Dr. Khavari: As pediatricians, we really like to encourage healthy, diverse diet, with minimally processed foods and significant fruits and vegetables. Many of the naturally gluten free foods, for example, fruits and vegetables, are important to incorporate into a child’s daily diet.

Unnecessary exclusion of foods from a child’s diet can be stressful and detract from their overall quality of life. Negative factors to consider before eliminating gluten from your child’s diet include the possibility of missing a diagnosis of Celiac Disease as laboratory testing may not be accurate once you have eliminated gluten from your child’s diet, quality of life effects on the child, and the higher cost of purchasing some of the processed gluten-free foods. It is also important to keep in mind that many of the more highly processed gluten-free foods are higher in sugar content which can have adverse effects on children.

If we find out our child does have Celiac Disease, what are our options and what sort of care will she need to receive?

Dr. Khavari: We recommend that your child see a pediatric gastroenterologist, as well as nutritionist with expertise in navigating the gluten free diet.

Are there medications they can take?

Dr. Khavari: There are no current medications for the treatment of Celiac Disease.

Is this something they’ll live with her whole life?

Dr. Khavari: Celiac Disease is thought to be a lifelong autoimmune disease in most diagnosed individuals.

How important is nutritional coaching/training for my child post-diagnosis?

Dr. Khavari: This is probably among the most important aspects of Celiac Disease after making the diagnosis. Providing your child with the proper nutritional support and education is key to their success in managing this disease. Our Celiac Disease team supports patient care specific to Celiac Disease, from the newly diagnosed through ongoing lifestyle maintenance, offering families the resources and valuable steps to ensure your child’s overall health and well-being.

My five-year-old son has Celiac Disease. What are some useful tips to help us navigate school snacks and lunches once he enters Kindergarten?

Dr. Khavari: We usually recommend sending a letter to the teacher and school staff explaining what Celiac Disease is, and why a student needs to eliminate gluten from their diet. We also recommend a stash of gluten-free foods for the classroom for those days when other children in the class may bring a gluten containing treats to share with the class.

What is the best way to manage this when he is away from our home, and for example, on playdates or at birthday parties?

Dr. Khavari: If you are close with the families of playdates and others having a conversation with the family about what foods they are able to eat is really helpful. Sometimes packing a gluten-free snack for your child, or for them to share with friends, can also be really helpful. While the gluten free diet is the most important aspect of treatment of Celiac Disease, balancing this with a good quality of life for children and allowing them to socialize, interact and eat (in a safe, gluten-free manner with others) is also a very important aspect of treatment.

 

Dr. Nasha Khavari is a clinical associate professor and the director of the Stanford Children’s Health Celiac Disease Center. She received her medical degree from University of Minnesota Medical School in 2003 and has been in practice for 16 years. Dr. Khavari completed her pediatrics residency at Stanford Children’s Health followed by a fellowship in pediatric gastroenterology at Harvard’s Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Khavari specializes in treating conditions in children like chronic stomach pain, ulcers, diarrhea, reflux, cancer, Crohn’s disease and Celiac Disease.

Find a Stanford pediatrician in your neighborhood.

Do you have questions about picky eating in kids? Read here for more information from Stanford Children’s Health.

 

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Study Says Mushrooms May Help Alleviate Pregnancy Hypertension

by Jennifer Swartvagher

Pregnancy hypertension or Preeclampsia is a complication of pregnancy. Usually, the mother’s blood pressure can be successfully managed with oral medication and the pregnancy can continue, but sometimes the baby needs to be delivered early. This can cause problems if the pregnancy is not near term. A new study has shown that natural antioxidants found in mushrooms may help treat this pregnancy issue.

Woman cradling pregnant belly

Research from the Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics at University College Cork (UCC), the INFANT Centre at UCC and the University of Liverpool, as well as The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability (DTU Biosustain) at Technical University of Denmark, have shown in a rat model that a natural diet derived antioxidant L-ergothioneine can relieve some of the clinical symptoms of preeclampsia. The hope is that the same will be true for humans.

“Our research shows that treating rats with preeclampsia with the natural antioxidant L-ergothioneine reduced blood pressure, prevented fetal growth restriction and dampened production of the damaging substances released from the placenta during preeclampsia,” says Dr. Cathal McCarthy, leader of this research in a press release from the INFANT Centre at UCC.

In order to be able to make enough L-ergothioneine to eventually treat patients, the scientists are looking into ways of producing this compound efficiently in high amounts using yeast cell factories. Ergothioneine can be found in a wide variety of foods, particularly in mushrooms, where amounts are relatively high compared to other foods.

“Today, ergothioneine is either made chemically or extracted from mushrooms, but at DTU Biosustain we are developing a method to make it biologically. This should lead to its much wider availability at competitive prices,” says Douglas Kell, Associated Scientific Director at DTU Biosustain and Research Chair in Systems Biology Department of Biochemistry, University of Liverpool.

Much evidence exists for L-ergothioneine’s benefits in a variety of neurological and vascular disorders as well. Thus, L-ergothioneine appears to be a safe, natural diet derived antioxidant whose therapeutic potential looks promising but remains to be validated in human clinical trials.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: freestocks on Unsplash

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