Yes, Please. Thanks!: Teaching Children of All Ages Manners, Respect and Social Skills for Life. Penny Palmano

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СКАЧАТЬ poor intellectual performance can all be connected to a poor diet.

      Behaviour and Food

      For years, parents have voiced their concern about the possible link between food colourings, preservatives and behavioural changes in their children, but the food manufacturers and government have been constantly dismissive, claiming their theories lacked scientific evidence.

      However, results from the first UK government-sponsored study have shown that children who were given colourings and preservatives were reported by their parents to be ‘fiddling with objects’, ‘disturbing others’, and having ‘difficulty settling down to sleep’, ‘difficulty concentrating’ and ‘temper tantrums’.

      The researchers further claimed that if the problem additives and preservatives were removed from children’s diets, hyper-activity would be reduced from 1 in 6 children to 1 in 17.

      Health and Food

      In this health-conscious, diet-addicted era in which we now live, during the past ten years there has been a 70 per cent increase in obesity among three-and four-year-olds. Obesity in three-to four-year-olds? If this doesn’t ring alarm bells, what will? And if that isn’t scary enough, it is now recognized that obesity leads to increased risk of heart disease and diabetes.

      The cause is quite simply a poor diet and lack of exercise.

      Poor Diet

      Although children enjoy eating crisps, sweets, snacks and processed foods, and however quick and convenient they may be for the parents, these foods are the worst culprits.

      Too much salt

      Too much salt will withdraw calcium from the body which children urgently need to develop strong bones, teeth and nails. It will also increase the risk of osteoporosis, asthma, stroke, heart attack, water retention and raised blood pressure in later life.

      The maximum recommended intake of salt per day is:

0–6 months	less than 1mg
7–12 months	1g
1–3 years	2g
4–6 years	3g
7–10 years	5g
11–14 years	6g

      An average 7–10-year-old’s daily diet may include:

Breakfast	40g cornflakes	1g
Lunch	Ham sandwich (white bread)	1.85g
	Processed-cheese portion	0.50g
	Packet crisps	0.50g
Snack	2 chocolate biscuits	0.33g
Supper	Children’s portion pizza	4.1g
	Portion chips	2g
Total Salt Intake		10.28g

       That is over twice as much as the recommended allowance and does not include any salt added at the table.

      Most food packaging says how much sodium is in the product. To calculate how much salt that is, multiply the amount of sodium by 2.5. Example: 1g sodium = 2.5g salt.

      Too much sugar

      For years we have known that sugar has disastrous effects on children’s teeth and contributes towards obesity. But it is also a stimulant which affects children’s blood-sugar levels, producing short bursts of energy or hyperactivity followed by an immediate low, which can manifest itself in moodiness or difficult behaviour and a craving for more sugar.

      The brain chemicals which affect people’s moods, including depression, are called serotonin and beta endorphins. Doctors now believe that there is a direct link between glucose (what pure white sugar breaks down into in our bodies) and these chemicals.

      An excess of white sugar can change the normal biochemical ‘pathways’ of both, resulting in moody, unmanageable and disruptive children who make everyone’s life a misery, including their own. Products made mainly from pure white flour will also convert into pure sugar in the body with the same effect.

      A can of cola contains both sugar and caffeine, combining two stimulants. If children drink a can at lunchtime the caffeine will still be in their system by the evening and we know what that means – T-R-O-U-B-L-E. These poor children will not be able to sit still at school or around the dinner table and will find it difficult to fall asleep. Be on the safe side and avoid all sugary foods at suppertime, offering fruit as an alternative dessert or snack.

      To reduce children’s intake of sugar take the sugar bowl off the table and be in charge of the amount they can have. Gradually reducing the sugar on their cereals and in their diet will go unnoticed but will make a significant difference to their overall consumption.

      Schools that have removed vending machines selling sugar-laden snacks and drinks and replaced them with fresh fruit and water or fruit juice have reported that attention rates have improved and that problem children are much calmer as a result.

      Give your children fresh or dried fruit, water and juices (check the sugar content) as snacks and leave the sweet snacks and drinks for the odd occasion or use them on a reward basis occasionally. As an alternative to canned fizzy drinks, dilute fruit concentrates with a fizzy mineral water. Your children’s tastes will adapt to their healthy diet and although they will still enjoy sweet products they will find many unnaturally sweet.

      Fats

      Much has been written about fats in the body. It is now widely recognized and accepted that the body does need fat and that there are both good and bad fats.

      Good fats

      The brain is composed of 60 per cent fat and needs an abundance of fatty acids from our diet to function effectively. Essential fatty acids are the good fats. They are found in oily fish such as mackerel, tuna, herring, sardines and salmon, and nuts, seeds and cold-pressed oils. These fatty acids are essential for the normal development of the brain, eyes and nervous system. New research from Oxford University has indicated that many children suffering from dyslexia, dyspraxia and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder) which affect children’s ability to listen, think, speak, sit still and write are suffering from a dietary deficiency of fatty acids.

      Bad fats

      However, most processed foods, fried foods and convenience foods contain trans fats. Trans fats are formed by hydrogenating oils in order to improve their shelf-life and flavour. Trans fats alter the brain chemistry and block the production of the essential fatty acids.

      Always Read the Label

      Until the food industry starts to reduce the amount of salt, sugar, preservatives and additives in their products, always read the label.

      Even some foods that proudly claim on their labels ‘NO artificial sweeteners’ and ‘NO preservatives’ may still have added colourings.

      Steer well clear of the following colourings: Tartrazine E102, Sunset Yellow E110, Carmoisine E122, Ponceau 4R E124. Also СКАЧАТЬ