What are You Eating?

You Are What You Eat


Put down your Coke and start reading. Yes, everyone has the day when cheesecake or cold pizza seems like the best breakfast option. I am no exception, and cheesecake is my favorite, but I also know that if we don’t take good care of ourselves now we will pay for it in the future. So, ask your self, “What are we doing to our kids?”

According the CDC, Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years. The prevalence of obesity among children aged 6 to 11 years increased from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.6% in 2008. The prevalence of obesity among adolescents aged 12 to 19 years increased from 5.0% to 18.1%.

In order for our kids to succeed in life, they need to have a good start.

Michelle Obama promotes the "Let's Move!" campaign to target childhood obesity. It is a great idea! However, the reality is that our children simply take in too many calories and then do not burn them off. They sit in front of the TV, play video games and eat junk food. It is important to help our children make the right choices or they will suffer the consequences.

Childhood obesity has many health impacts:

• Overweight and obese youth are more likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure. In a population-based sample of 5- to 17-year-olds, 70% of obese youth had at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
• Children and adolescents who are obese are at greater risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems such as stigmatization and poor self-esteem.
• Obese youth are more likely than youth of normal weight to become overweight or obese adults, and therefore more at risk for associated adult health problems, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.

Make a Positive Impact

For children who have diabetes use massage. Researchers at the Touch Research Institute have found children with diabetes who receive massage therapy have improved compliance with insulin and food regulation, improved mean glucose levels, and symptomatic improvement

Let’s start a Food Revolution (kudos Jamie Oliver)!

Choose healthy options for your children

Make eating fun and interesting (fun food & different colors doesn’t hurt)

Let your child help prepare their meals

Do More | Take a Closer Look Read More on Tina Allen's Column for Massage Today's Women in Bodywork Business Blog

Bullies Need Hugs!

So much of our media today is flooded with the increase of awareness around bullying in our schools. What used to be a few names called in the school yard has turned into viral videos exposing our children to hate on the internet. With YouTube and Facebook usage at an all time high, children find easy access to commit Cyber bullying, and do not necessarily see the long term harm in posting their comments for all to see.

Malcom Smith of the University of New Hampshire’s Cooperative Extension Service says some studies show that up to half of all public students are subject to bullying. Smith also states that he believes children in school today are the “meanest ever”.

It is becoming more and more apparent that for many children, the saying, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me”, is not true. For eighth-grade Connecticut student Alye Pollack, daily life at Bedford Middle School involves being tormented and called names by her classmates. She turned to YouTube to get her message out about her experience.

For many children the relentless teasing and bullying by other classmates causes depression, or even worse self-injurious behaviors such as cutting or the unfortunate reality that some take their own life unable to deal with the teasing, name calling and harassment.

Read more on Tina Allen's Column Massage Today | Women in Bodywork Business Blog