HEALTH MATTERS: Five Questions to Ask Yourself

HEALTH MATTERS

"Take care of your body.  It's the only place you have to live."

                                             ---Jim Rohn

Here are five questions to ask yourself:

1. Am I getting enough sleep every night?
2. Am I drinking enough water every day?
3. Am I getting enough exercise every day?
4. Am I eating too much added sugar, fat, and salt?
5. Am I eating plenty of vegetables, fruits, wild fish, beans, and legumes (like lentils)?

A fresh salad we made recently with organic
treasures from a local farmer.

These questions address the elements of health.  

If you are not getting a good night�s sleep because you (or your kids) have a bedroom full of electronics, computers and digital clocks with red and blue lights on all night, it is time to change.  

If you go all morning on coffee and soda and don�t have a glass of water until the afternoon, it is time to change. 

If you routinely say, �I�ll take a walk this weekend� and always make an excuse why you can�t, it is time to change.  

If you have high blood pressure and think nothing of stopping by McDonald�s several times a week, it is time to change. 

If you eat steak and potatoes every night, it is time to change. 

To be a good role model for children starts with a look at our own habits.  With computers running our lives, we are getting away from the basics of good health.  Some people think they can download an app and it will take care of their need for exercise and do their vegetable shopping for them.  I grew up watching a TV show about the future called The Jetsons.  Well, people, we are not The Jetsons.  

If you value your health, and care about the health and future quality of life of your children, then please review the five questions above and stay tuned as we lead a meaningful discussion about HEALTH MATTERS. 

In gratitude,

Nancy L. Heinrich, MPH

Founder of the Growing Healthy Kids movement

HEALTH MATTERS: New Year's Resolutions

HEALTH MATTERS

"To keep the body in good health is a duty...otherwise we will not be able to keep our mind strong and clear."

                                                   ---Buddha

A new year is often filled with new resolutions for better health.   If we don�t have our health, everything else becomes less important; this is why my new year�s resolution for the Growing Healthy Kids� blog is to write about HEALTH MATTERS for adults.  We will expand our investigative journalism to bring you information that might otherwise be buried. 

Growing Healthy Kids is a movement dedicated to halting, reversing, and preventing childhood obesity.  We educate parents and children by raising awareness about facts, research, recipes, tips, and resources that help us make better choices about food, physical fitness, and ultimately, our health.  For our children to know how to get to, and stay at, a healthy weight will take a nation of educated adults.

 

On a recent tour of a new hydroponic farm in Vero Beach, Florida
with older adults as part of the Growing Healthy Kids' initiative.
That's me on the right.

Our goal is to reach adults in all 50 states this year and expand our programs and services to parts of the country where there is an unmet need to improve health literacy and health outcomes.   There is so much joy in sharing good foods, great recipes, and powerful tips that you can use every day and we are well positioned to travel where needed to educate adults and kids.  We have seen life and health miracles occur when people learn that when you know what to do, it�s easy to eat right, stay active, and get a good night�s sleep every night. 

Start this year by taking 15 minutes right now with your family to write down 3 health goals you want to achieve, either individually or as a family.  Use the SMART goal formula:  Specific-Measurable-Achievable-Realistic-Time-Specific.  Here is an example of a SMART goal:  My children and I will walk together after dinner at least 15 minutes two evenings a week. Post your health goals someplace where everyone can see them. 

Be well, dear friends!

In gratitude,

Nancy L. Heinrich, MPH

Founder of the Growing Healthy Kids movement

BEST PRACTICES FOR PARENTS

WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS

Wellness is a state of mind.  It starts with the conscious intention to be healthy and balanced.  To respect ourself and others. To live peacefully.  Everything we need follows from this intention. Be mindful of what you eat.  Exercise often.  LOVE LIFE.

                                                 ---Nancy L. Heinrich

What a great year for Growing Healthy Kids!  So many great kids have participated in our educational programs.  So many parents have asked questions, seeking answers for growing their own healthy kids. 

I am grateful to the children, parents, volunteers and supporters of Growing Healthy Kids, the businesses and organizations who have helped our programs to thrive, to everyone who has read Nourish and Flourish, and to all the farmers who grow the foods we need. 

As a gift to wrap up this wonderful year, I am sharing some �best practices for parents� from Growing Healthy Kids' projects, workshops, and lessons:

DO: 

• Find your local farmers markets. 
• Talk with your local farmers.
• Read food labels. 
• Buy foods with less sugar.
• Buy foods with more fiber.
• Eat more kale, dark chocolate, and blueberries. 
• Teach your kids how to make 10 basic recipes.
• Exercise daily.
• Make cookies with applesauce or pumpkin instead of butter.
• Schedule time every day to do nothing. 
• Flavor foods without salt. 
• Eat breakfast. 
• Eat protein in your breakfast � it is brain fuel!
• Drink water.
• Buy cereals, breads and pastas where the first ingredient includes the word, �whole�, as in whole grains.
• Get enough sleep.
• Eat wild salmon, strawberries, and walnuts.
• Buy your kids a lemon squeezer. 
• Take family wellness walks. 
• Buy your kids a pack of basil or oregano to plant.
• Buy a good quality extra virgin olive oil.
• Eat dinner together most nights of the week.
• Practice instant recess.
• Buy vegetables and fruits from your local farmers.
• Have naps.
• Laugh every day.

DON�T:

• Don�t eat foods containing food dyes. 
• Don�t eat farm raised fish.
• Don�t buy foods containing �partially hydrogenated� fats.
• Don�t skip breakfast.
• Don�t eat tilapia.
• Don�t allow cell phones at your dinner table.
• Don�t buy soda.
• Don�t be mean. 
• Don�t buy foods with more than 8 grams of sugar per serving.

A very Merry Christmas to all! 

In gratitude,

Nancy L. Heinrich, MPH

Founder, Growing Healthy Kids, Inc. 

HEALTH MATTERS

WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS

"Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world." 

                                                   --Nelson Mandela

When it comes to the health of our children, parents agree on one thing:  we will do whatever it takes. 

The Growing Healthy Kids movement is improving parents� knowledge about the foods to eat more of as well as the foods to eat less of, plus the importance adding regular, healthy doses of physical fun and fitness.  Our education programs teach kids and adults how simple it is to eat well.  We empower them with knowledge and skills to prevent high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity-related cancers and other preventable diseases.  Learning to eat smart  helps children get to � and stay at � healthy weights.  The key to our children living lives longer than ours � not shorter - is teaching them how to make lifelong habits of eating foods that are good for us and planning fitness into each day to prevent obesity and obesity-related diseases. 

Lessons children learn in our kitchen classroom are what I fondly call THE RECIPE FOR GROWING HEALTHY KIDS.  Here is the list of 5 essential ingredients:

PROTEIN

FACT:  Kids will learn better when they start the day with a burst of protein. 

About � of what we eat should be protein.  Choose to eat fish at least 2 times a week.  Choose lean, low-fat proteins.  Avoid or limit meats loaded with fat. 

GHK TIP:  Include protein in your kids� breakfast every day.

FATS

FACT:  There are 3 kinds of fats: one is good and two are the bad kinds of fats.  Most of the fats we eat should be the good fats.

Good fats:  unsaturated fat

Sources of unsaturated fat:  nuts, fish, liquid vegetable oils, flax seeds, avocados

Bad fats:  saturated fat and trans fats

Sources of saturated fats:  any food that comes from an animal (meat, chicken, ice-cream, cheese, milk (except for skim milk), etc.)Sources of trans fats:  look on food labels for any ingredient that includes the words "partially hydrogenated�

GHK TIP:  Make most of your fats the �good� kind and eat fish at least twice a week.

   CARBOHYDRATES

FACT:  There are good carbohydrates and bad carbohydrates.  Most of the carbs we eat should be the good fats.

The good carbohydrate:  dietary fiber

Sources of dietary fiber:  vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, lentils, split peas

Why we need dietary fiber:  Fiber is only found in foods that come from plants.  Fiber is what fills us up.  Aim for 28-35 grams of dietary fiber a day.   Most children (and adults) eat far less dietary fiber than their bodies need. 

The bad carbohydrate:  sugar

Sources of sugar:  sodas, candy, processed foods, most breakfast cereals, energy drinks, fruit juices. 

GHK TIP:  Choose breads and pastas that have �4 or more� grams of dietary fiber per slice or per serving.  Check the Nutrition Facts label and limit foods that have more than 5 grams of sugar per serving.   Learn the difference between good and bad carbs and use this knowledge when you and your kids are grocery shopping.  

WATER

FACT:  Water is the fluid we need to drink the most of.  Most people drink far less water than they need.  Drink water, not soda.  Aim for 8 glasses of water a day.

SLEEP

Did you know that getting enough sleep is key to losing weight and staying at a healthy weight?   Provide guidance for your children so they have a regular bedtime to ensure they are getting plenty of sleep every night.  

GHK TIP:  Establish �sleep hygiene� habits such as turning off the TV, the computer, cell phones, and other electronics at least an hour before bedtime and not drinking caffeinated drinks in the evening to wake up feeling refreshed every morning.

From our expanding recipe collection from the Growing Healthy Kids' Test Kitchen, I am happy to share this amazing variation on a traditional pesto recipe.  It features walnuts, a great source of good fats and omega-3s, and parsley, which has incredible benefits as an anti-inflammatory. 

GROWING HEALTHY KIDS:  Our Recipe Collection

WALNUT PESTO

INGREDIENTS:

• �        1-1/2 cups walnuts
• �        2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• �        Crushed red pepper
• �        Sea salt
• �        � cup minced flat-leaf parsley
• �        � cup EVOO*
• �        � cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350.  Spread walnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 12 minutes, or until golden.  Cool the walnuts and finely chop.

In a mortar, mash the garlic with a pinch each of crushed red pepper and salt until a paste forms.  Add the walnuts and parsley and pound to a coarse paste.  Slowly add the olive oil, pounding and stirring until blended.  Stir in the Parmesan and season with salt. Serve over roasted vegetables or whole grain pasta.

NOTE:  You can also make this in a food processor, quickly pulsing the ingredients.

*Extra virgin olive oil 

Education IS the most important weapon we can use to change the world.  Start with your own world and educate yourself family about the importance of reading food labels to identify foods containing the good carbs and good fats. Include some protein in your children's breakfasts every morning.  Every child deserves access to healthy foods and daily activity, beginning with YOUR children.  

In gratitude,

Nancy Heinrich

Growing Healthy Kids

FOOD AND HOLIDAY TRADITIONS

WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS

�Flavor counts far more than elaborate techniques and presentations, and flavor begins with the best ingredients.  Each separate ingredient should be the finest you can afford, but if you can't afford it or you've run out of it, don worry.  Mediterranean cooks are notable for making do with what's at hand.  That's an attitude I try to cultivate in my own kitchen."  

                            --Nancy Harmon Jenkins, The New

                               Mediterranean Diet Cookbook

What�s your favorite dish to make together at home this time of year?  Holidays are filled with family traditions and foods are a central part of many traditions.  Making your children a part of your family�s rich holiday traditions is a great way to ensure they know the kitchen is a safe place to learn that when people respect good foods and each other, they are learning the recipe for a great life.  

Teaching a young boy how to use local fruits at a Growing Healthy Kids event with one of our partners (Youth Guidance Mentoring and Activities Program)

One of my favorite sections in the middle of the store - dried beans and lentils!

"Yellow squash on purple rocker"

The original Growing Healthy Kid, my son, Edward

Great recipes start when you have all the ingredients on hand.  Having good foods in your fridge, pantry and on the table begins with shopping together.  Teach your kids where to look in the store and what to look for on food labels.   Did you ever hear to shop on the four walls first?  Around the perimeter of a grocery store is where you find the fresh fruits and vegetables, yogurts and cheeses, fresh fish and meats.  Start by shopping the perimeter, then move to the inside aisles.   The less processed your food choices, the better.  Fresh is best.  When you use the approach of �eat fresh, eat local�, you support your local farmers.  To learn about farmers in your community, go to click here.

While you and your kids make a list of your favorite holiday foods to make this month, here is a list of our family�s top 25 foods:

1. Almonds
2. Avocados
3. Bananas
4. Blueberries
5. Extra virgin olive oil
6. Eggplant* (see eggplant parm recipe link below)
7. Garlic
8. Kale
9. Lemons
10. Limes
11. Lentils
12. Onions
13. Oranges
14. Parsley
15. Pears
16. Quinoa
17. Pesto
18. Spinach
19. Squash (any kind � they are all high in dietary fiber!)
20. Strawberries
21. Tomatoes
22. Walnuts
23. Wild rice
24. Wild salmon
25. Zucchini

From A to Z, from Apples to Zucchini, family traditions revolve around foods.  Make your family�s favorite foods fresh and delicious!  *For a link to a delicious, easy, and healthy eggplant parmesan recipe to make this holiday season, click here.

In gratitude,

Nancy Heinrich

Growing Healthy Kids, Inc. 

FITNESS AND FAMILIES

WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS

 �We as parents are our children�s first and best role models, and this is particularly true when it comes to their health�We can�t lie around on the couch eating French fries and candy bars and expect our kids to eat carrots and run around the block.�

                                         --Michelle Obama at the Building 

                                         a Healthier Future Summit, 3/8/13

The facts are staggering:

• One out of every 7 low income preschool children is obese. 
• Kids spend an average of 8 hours a day in front of a screen.  
• Girls who are obese will have an earlier puberty than normal. 
• Obesity and physical inactivity are leading risk factors for type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. 
• Children who are obese are more likely to be obese as adults.

As parents, we need to take responsibility for our children�s health.  It is not the job of their teachers or doctors.  It is up to parents.  To add years to their lives, add life to their years.  Are your kids getting enough fitness?  Most kids are NOT getting the minimum of what they need at school.  The minimum recommendation for children ages 6-17 is 60 minutes every day.  

Family walks are part of my family's traditions.  Make them part of yours, too.  That's my brother, Bill, in the middle at a recent family gathering in Kentucky walking with his children, Erika and Neils (on left side) and our nephew Christopher and his girlfriend, Chen (on right side).

Kids need a mix of 3 different types of fitness:

1. Aerobic activity (this should be the majority of the 60 minutes/day, consisting of brisk walking or running)
2. Muscle strengthening (at least 3 days a week, consisting of gymnastics or pushups)
3. Bone strengthening (at least 3 days a week, consisting of exercise such as jump rope or running)

Take the lead.  Start by looking at yourself first.  Are you getting enough exercise?  Are you a good role model for your children?  As my friend, Sam, says, �Don�t talk, do.�  To learn more about the benefits of physical activity, click here.

 

Recently, I did a shoutout asking for ideas from you about what kids wanted to make.  My friend, Jill, responded that her daughter loves eggplant and she asked for eggplant recipes.  That started my quest for the perfect Baba Ganoush recipe (a Middle Eastern eggplant dip).  I found it and now you and your kids can enjoy Baba Ganoush plus 2 other amazing recipes that are super healthy, delicious, and fun to make with kids.  Click here.

In gratitude,

Nancy Heinrich

Growing Healthy Kids, Inc.

GRATEFULNESS AND GRATITUDE

WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS

�You think this is just another day in your life.  It is not just another day.  It is the one that is given to you today�It�s the only gift that you have right now. And the only appropriate response is gratefulness.�

                                --Brother David Steindl-Rast, a Benedictine monk

This week's issue of WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS is dedicated to gratefulness.  The fourth Thursday of November is the celebration of Thanksgiving, a special day in American history.  It is a celebration of giving thanks, a historical reminder about the Pilgrims and the American natives breaking bread together, creating family and community traditions, of being grateful. 

Thank you to farmers like Lisa Brenneman.

Thank you to the children who come and learn at our programs.

Thank you for family (that's my brother Bill, on the left, with some of the kids)

Thank you for family (my brother, Rob, on the left with his son, Robbie at the new family farm).

Thank you to the volunteers who
provide the fuel for our programs.

Thank you for the staff who assist in our
Growing Healthy Kids in the Kitchen programs.

Thank you to our volunteers at our
annual Hummus at Humiston events,
where we connect kids with the local farmers. 

Thank you to the farmers who grow what we need.

Thank you to friends.

The mission of Growing Healthy Kids, Inc. is to improve the health � and lives � of America�s children by focusing on good foods and physical fun.  Our programs educate parents and children about the �how� and �why� of eating locally grown vegetables, fruits, and whole grains and creating plant-based meals that are easy and economical to prepare.  Because of this mission, we get to play with the people who are growing good foods, take farm trips with kids, and create healthy recipes in our Growing Healthy Kids Test Kitchen.  In our work to improve health literacy and reverse childhood obesity and obesity-related diseases, there are many things for which I am grateful.

To watch an inspirational video and listen to the words of Brother David Steindl-Rast, including the music of my friend, Gary Malkin, click here.

Here are some of the things I am grateful for today and every day:

The local farmers who grow the Swiss chard, Tuscan kale, Purple Cherokee tomatoes, spinach, pumpkins, watermelon, navel oranges, Ruby Red grapefruits, pecans, Shitake and Portobello mushrooms, basil, parsnips, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and other beautiful vegetables, fruits, and nuts that fill the recipes we create with and for Growing Healthy Kids.  Several of the local farmers who partner with the Growing Healthy Kids project and to whom I am grateful include Louis Schacht (Schacht Groves), Kevin O�Dare (Osceola Organics), Linda Hart (Crazy Hart Ranch), Lisa and Dan Brenneman (Florida Veggies and More), and Brenda and Jim Gibbons (Gibbons Organics).  For a link to some amazing recipes featuring the foods we highlight in the Growing Healthy Kids Test Kitchen, click here.

The local chefs who are using foods grown by our local farmers instead of vegetables grown 2,000 miles away.

The parents who are seeking better foods for our children who eat two of their three meals through the free and reduced school meal program.

The volunteers who make our educational programs so much fun.

The children who have attended and those who will attend our educational programs, because they are the true leaders of Growing Healthy Kids.

Most of all, I am grateful for family.  We are all family in this adventure called life! What are YOU grateful for?

In gratitude to each and every one of you,

Nancy Heinrich

Growing Healthy Kids, Inc.