Overweight Children In Your Family

From the Wholefood Farmacy Newsletter:

"A new study published by the University of Michigan, Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, and the University of Michigan Child Health Evaluation and Research (CHEAR) Unit, shows that a large number of parents may be in denial about their children’s weight. The research was published in CHEAR’s journal Vol. 2, Issue 3; December 10, 2007.

With each passing year, the risks to children who are overweight or obese are becoming clearer and well documented. With respect to asthma, obese children age 6-17 are more than twice as likely to have asthma as children who are at a healthy weight.

Children who are overweight are also at risk for diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure as well as other chronic diseases that are usually seen only in adults. Moreover, overweight children are very likely to be overweight for life, a condition that carries with it serious, life long health and emotional consequences.

According to the study, one-quarter of US children ages 6 to 17 are either obese or overweight, based on the parent reporting of children’s height and weight. Surprisingly, less than 10% of parents of obese children ages 6 to 11 reported being “very concerned” about their children’s weight.

More than 40% of parents of obese children age 6-11 perceive their children’s weight status as “about the right weight”. In reality, a 6-year-old boy of average height, (3 feet 9 inches) would be considered obese if he weighs 55 lbs. or more.

"Obesity isn't just something that affects the clothes that you buy or how you are perceived by your friends and your schoolmates," the researchers said. "It is something that can have health effects, not only in adulthood but in childhood."

We encourage parents of children and teens to use the Body Mass Calculator offered by the Centers for Disease Control by clicking here: http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/dnpabmi/Calculator.aspx

If you find that your child or teen needs to lose weight, experts agree that small gradual changes offer the best chances for success. One small change that everyone can live with is having healthy, convenient snacks on hand at all times. From there, gradually phase out the junk food, fast food, sodas, energy drinks and candy as you discover healthier choices that your children enjoy.

The New You Resolution Pantry offers an incredible selection of healthy whole food based snacks, meals, soups and smoothie mixes. Click the link below for a Special Limited Time Offer from The Wholefood Farmacy."

Children's Health In Crisis

In today’s fast paced society, it’s plain to see that the health of our nation’s children is in crisis. Obesity rates are at the highest levels ever putting millions of children at risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease and diabetes. Sadly, obesity and many of these chronic diseases will follow them into adulthood – and it’s the children who will end up paying the ultimate price as they grow older.

The junk food industry spends $33 billion dollars per year to convince your children that it’s normal to consume several servings of sodas, junk food, fast food, candy and other processed foods each day. At the same time, the increased use of computers and computer games has drastically reduced the levels of physical activity that our children get – and this is a recipe for disaster.

The Wholefood Farmacy is now offering a complementary email based educational program for parents that we call “15 Days To Wellness For Parents”. After you subscribe http://organicnutrition.wholefoodfarmacy.com/2005/nap_web.asp you will receive one short email per day for 15 days that includes all of the latest scientific research, important health issues and helpful tips for parents of children and teens. One minute per day for 15 days can change your child’s life forever!

As a parent in today’s society you should be able to answer all of these questions with 100% confidence. If you can not – then this educational program is for you.


1. By what age do children build 50% of their bone mass?

2. By what age to children build 100% of their bone mass?

3. What are the 3 most important factors for building healthy bones in children?

4. Would a 6 year old boy 3 feet 9 inches tall weighing 55 lbs be underweight, the correct weight, overweight or obese?

5. How many hours of sleep does a 3rd grader need to significantly reduce their risk of becoming overweight or obese by 6th grade?

6. How many hours of TV per day will increase a child’s risk of high blood pressure by 330%?

7. How many hours of TV cause a child to consume 167 extra calories worth of junk food?

8. What foods and lifestyle habits can cut your child’s risk of asthma by 50%?

9. How many minutes of daily exercise will cut your child’s risk of obesity by 50%?

10. What natural food is scientifically proven to work better than over-the-counter cough syrup? 11. What internal organs are damaged when children have high blood pressure?

12. How is exercise related to behavior and academic performance?

13. What’s the correct way to fuel young athletes before a game?

One minute a day for 15 days can improve the health of your children and teens offering lifelong health benefits to them.

Healthy Bones and Children

Helping children build healthy bones is an important job that all parents should know how to do. Children build half of their bone mass during adolescence and reach their peak bone mass by age twenty. The three most important factors for building healthy, strong bones in your children are calcium, vitamin D from exposure to sunlight and exercise.

Poor nutrition, lack of outdoor activities and lack of exercise have health experts very concerned as cases of Rickets in are rising fast in American children. Rickets is a childhood bone disease that is typically seen only in third world developing countries. It causes the bones to ache and to become deformed starting at a young age.

According to Dr. James Beaty, President of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, "There's some early data showing that even a 10 percent deficit in your bone mass when you finish your adolescent years can increase your potential risk of having osteoporosis and fractures as much as 50 percent”.

When it comes to American children, the experts believe that poor nutrition combined with too much TV, internet and computer game time is an issue that parents need to address immediately. "This potentially is a time-bomb," says Dr. Laura Tosi, bone health chief at Children's National Medical Center in Washington D.C.

What’s the solution? Good nutrition, sunshine and exercise!
Calcium is the building block of healthy bones. Foods which are good sources of calcium include fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese, canned fish with bones, nuts, fruits, vegetables, dried beans, rice beverages, molasses and some leafy greens.

The best source of vitamin D is natural sunlight, that’s why getting outdoors is so important for your children. When the kids are playing outdoors they are getting both exercise and vitamin D. If you would like to read more research regarding the health benefits of sunlight, please click these two links:

http://organicnutrition.wholefoodfarmacy.com/2005/wwa040506.asp
http://organicnutrition.wholefoodfarmacy.com/2005/wwa051607.asp

The Wholefood Farmacy can offer you some wonderfully healthy foods and snacks for you and your kids. These are the perfect snacks for outdoor activities at any time of the year.

Breakfast Means A More Alert Child

The science is crystal clear. Children who eat a healthy breakfast before school are healthier, more alert, have more energy, exhibit better behavior and get better grades. A recent State of Minnesota Breakfast Study found that students who ate breakfast before starting school had a general increase in math grades and reading scores, increased student attention, reduced nurse visits, and improved student behaviors. (December, 1997)

Researchers at Harvard Medical/Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston found that hungry children are more likely to have behavioral and academic problems than children who get enough to eat. At school, hungry children had more problems with irritability, anxiety and aggression, as well as more absences and tardiness. (Pediatrics, January, 1998; Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, February, 1998)
The recent Tufts University Statement (1998) on The Link Between Nutrition and Cognitive Development in Children cites new findings: "Recent research provides compelling evidence that under-nutrition impacts the behavior of children, their school performance, and their overall cognitive development".

The importance of a healthy breakfast is paramount to your child’s health, behavior, and academic performance. As the new school year begins, we encourage you take a stand for your children and make a healthy breakfast, everyday, the rule in your home.
If you’re on go and don’t have much time, please consider these quick, easy and very nutritious ways that The Wholefood Farmacy foods can help.

Our fruit based Farinas (BeautiPhi, ClariPhi, ElectriPhi, FructiPhi & GloriPhi) can provide a wonderful way to add taste, variety and nutrition to oat meal, cream of wheat, and whole grain breakfast cereals. Simply sprinkle them over these healthy breakfast foods and you’re done! Phi Plus, TropiPhi and Fruitalicious also make a wonderful and very delicious addition to these healthy breakfast foods and they provide a wonderfully sweet alternative to processed sugar. Breakfast Smoothies are also a quick and easy way to start your child’s day with healthy whole food nutrition. Start with some fresh fruit and your choice of milk, then add any of our fruit based Farinas – hit the button on your blender and in 15 seconds it’s ready to go.

Make Phi Plus cookies the night before. Form Phi Plus into the shape of cookies then drizzle with Wholefood Farmacy Organic Coconut Oil and refrigerate. In the morning, you’ll have some very healthy and very tasty treats ready when you’re on the go.

Try it for a few weeks and the results will speak for themselves. Set the alarm clock a few minutes earlier and give your kids the daily advantage of a Healthy Start – it makes all the difference in the world.

http://www.top-health-cafe.com/wholefood-farmacy/wholefoods.html

Teaching Children Healthy Habits

Teaching children from a young age to eat healthy fats can have lifelong health benefits according to a new study published in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation in August, 2007.

The study focused on over one thousand children in Findland who were followed from the age of 7 months through age 14. The researchers found that children who were taught to focus on the healthy fats found in fish, nuts, seeds, and plant oils had slightly lower cholesterol levels compared to children who ate an unrestricted diet by the time they reached the age of 14.
Dr. Art Labovitz, cardiology director at Saint Louis University School of Medicine pointed out that even a small decrease in cholesterol levels can have a big influence over the course of your child’s life. “If you study large numbers of people, the small increments result in a significant change in heart attacks and cardiac deaths,” said Dr. Art Labovitz.

Dr. Harri Niinikoski, lead author of the study done at the University of Turku in Finland, said children begin forming their eating and lifestyle habits in childhood. “We think that this lifestyle change can be started early,” he said.

Dr. Sarah Blumenschein, a pediatric cardiologist with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, said the study shows that early intervention is the key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. “The earlier you intervene, the more likely you are going to be successful,” she said.
The key is to teach your children, starting as young as possilbe, to appreciate the healthy fats found in fish, nuts, seeds, and plant oils. By eating a little less meat and avoiding the saturated fas and trans fats which are in most processed foods, fast foods and junk foods – your children will lower their total fat intake and enjoy more of the benefits that healthy fats have to offer. As your children grow into their teens and begin eating more meals away from home, their healthy habits will guide them towards healthier food choices when unsupervised.

We encourage parents everywhere to read the nutrition information on the foods that their children eat. The healthy fats are listed as unsaturated fats, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. The unhealthy fats are listed as saturated fats and trans fats.

Wholefood Farmacy foods are rich in heart healthy fats which are found in nuts, seeds, and plant oils – and these foods offer you a wonderful way to encourage healthy eating habits with your children starting at a young age.