5 Ways to Promote a Positive Body Image for Kids

Body image is how we feel about our bodies. Whatever their size or weight, children can develop either a positive or negative view of their bodies. And, body image disturbances can begin as early as preschool, so parents and other adult role models need to play a pivotal role in promoting a positive body image for children.

Why? Young people with a positive image of themselves feel more comfortable and confident in their ability to succeed. They don't obsess about calories, food or weight. And, they have the energy they need to enjoy physical activity.

On the other hand, kids with a negative body image feel more self-conscious, anxious and isolated. They are at greater risk for excessive weight gain and for eating disorders.

Here are five ways you can give your child the gift of positive body image and help to prevent these problems.

Check Out Your Own Body Image Issues

Parental body image has a powerful influence on how kids feel about their bodies. If you talk about your thighs, your latest diet or your punishing workouts, your children will naturally absorb these negative messages. They will begin to worry about the size of their thighs and think they should be dieting.

Focus on Health ... Not Weight

For your kid's sake (and your own sanity), shift your focus from weight to health. Stop obsessing about numbers on the scale and concentrate on delicious nutrition and fun physical activity. Children don't need to work out; they need to play with family and friends. Children shouldn't be counting calories or restricting their intake; they need to enjoy regular meals and learn how to make smart, tasty snack choices.

Nutrition and fitness are great goals because they give us energy to do all things that we want to do. Whatever our age or size, we feel better when we take care of our bodies.

Find Physical Activities That Fit

Feeling fit, strong and capable is one aspect of positive body image. All children need regular physical activities that they enjoy. Some kids are natural athletes and love all sports they try. Other kids do better at individual activities, such as walking or riding a bike. Some may find their niche in yoga, karate or a hip-hop dance class. It doesn't matter what kids do for physical fitness; it just matters that they do something.

Watch Out for Bullies

Weight-related teasing is a major basis for bullying. Encourage your school to address the issue and to support nutrition and physical education that promotes health at every size. If you believe your child is being bullied about his or her weight or for any other reason, discuss your concerns directly with the school counselor or administrator.

Myth-Busting the "Perfect Body"

Help your child become a savvy media critic by talking about what they see on television, in magazines and online. Help them understand that the pictures of models they see in ads may have been retouched or otherwise manipulated to appear "perfect."

#Happychildrensday

 Source: eatright.org

Lettuce

Lettuce are leafy green vegetables and are low in calories, making them a terrific addition to any weight-loss plan. They are good sources of antioxidants, including beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and quercetin, which help prevent arthritis, cataracts, and macular degeneration, as well as maintain healthy hair and skin. 

 

Lettuce is also a good source of potassium, a mineral involved in managing blood pressure and preventing osteoporosis. In addition, all lettuce varieties contain vitamin K, which may prevent bone fractures. A large dinner consisting of only lettuce is recommended at night for insomnia.

FRIED POTATOES

When potatoes are fried, they lose water through evaporation and gain oil. From 15% to 20% of their weight is made up of fats.

Fried potatoes contain 500 to 600kcal/100g (raw potatoes contain only 79kcal/100g). They also tend to contain abundant salt. All of this makes them rather undesirable from a dietary stand point.

The best oil for frying potatoes is olive oil since it is the most resistant to high temperatures.  Still, care must be exercised not to overheat it. In other words, it must not smoke.

Fried potatoes are tasty, but not very healthful.

Garlic

Garlic contains allicin, a naturally occurring antioxidant that may help improve heart health. Compounds in garlic also act as powerful antioxidants. There is some evidence that garlic may lower blood pressure and LDL-cholesterol levels — as well as decrease levels of homocysteine — a by-product of protein breakdown that causes inflammation and damages blood vessels.

Although most of the studies that support the health benefits of garlic are done with garlic supplements, they certainly encourage the continued use of garlic as a delicious flavor enhancer in everyday food. Because garlic can act as a blood thinner, it’s important for you to check with your doctor before adding large amounts of garlic to your diet if you take any blood-thinning medications (such as Warfarin) or aspirin. 

If bad breath (also known as halitosis) is a problem for you, cutting down on garlic and onions may help. These Allium vegetables contain smelly compounds that get absorbed into your bloodstream and exhaled from your lungs for hours after you eat them.

People who suffer from IBS (Irritable bowel syndrome) should be careful about eating onions and garlic, as they are common IBS trigger foods and may lead to discomfort after eating them. Raw garlic, in particular, can be difficult for some people to tolerate, especially if IBS is an issue; so if you have a sensitive stomach it’s probably best to add garlic only during cooking.

Wholefood nutrition: Eggwhites

Egg whites are a versatile low-calorie, fat-free, high-quality protein choice. For only 17 calories you get 4 g of protein per egg white — talk about lean protein! Egg whites can help you maintain strong bones, muscles, nails, and hair. Plus, all that protein will help you stay satisfied for hours after a meal. Egg whites can be eaten hard-boiled on their own, enjoyed as a topping for salad, or substituted for whole eggs in egg salad; they can also be used as the base of a vegetable omelet or in place of whole eggs in baked goods.

OKRA

Also called "ladies' fingers," there's more to this veggie than its slimy reputation. Rich in fiber and disease-fighting antioxidants such as vitamin A and C, you can control the texture/slime-factor by varying the cooking technique. Be it green or reddish-purple, okra tastes great simply sliced and sautéed with other seasonal vegetables such as corn and tomatoes. Another simple preparation would be to roast it, whole, with oil, salt, pepper and seasonings like smoked paprika. Browned and slightly crisp, you can eat it as is or add it to a salad or side dish. 

#Excellentforweightloss #improveseyesight #stimulatesnervefunction #promoteshealthypregnancy #promoteshealthylookingskin  #excellentbonebuilder

Cashews

One ounce of the buttery nut packs 11% of the daily recommended value of zinc, an essential mineral that may help reduce anxiety. When researchers gave zinc supplements to people who were diagnosed with both anxiety symptoms (irritability, lack of ability to concentrate) and deficient zinc levels over a course of eight weeks, the patients saw a 31% decrease in anxiety, according to Nutrition and Metabolic Insights. This is likely because zinc affects the levels of a nerve chemical that influences mood. If you're already getting enough zinc, then it may not help your mood to chow down on cashews (or other zinc-rich foods like oysters, beef, chicken and yogurt). But, cashews are also rich in omega-3s and protein, so they're a smart snack no matter what.