It's been a while since I posted on this blog, as i've been busy blogging on my clinics blog daily over the past 2 weeks. I have been doing a 2 week cleanse to bring in the new year, and have chronicled my journey (and that of my family) on my other blog in case anyone is interested in making some changes in their own diet or their family's diet:
http://vflbarrie.blogspot.com/2010_01_01_archive.html
As my kids are getting older I'm realizing how much they look to us for guidance with their own health and wellness, and it's important to decide what you want to model for your kids. Some simple healthy changes in diet and attitude can make a big difference in your kid's health. My older son asked many questions during my cleanse, and I did my best to answer them in a way that he could understand. When he would offer me a bite of his cookie or hot chocolate I would explain to him that 'mommy is giving her body a break from sugar because sugar can make us sick'. Or when he would ask 'what's a cleanse' I tried to explain that it's a way for us to 'clean our bodies on the inside by not putting in anymore garbage'. The way I explain the immune system to him (our white blood cells) is by calling them our 'soldiers'. I ask him 'what do you think your soldiers need to be strong so that they can fight the bad bacteria?'. He would reply 'they need rest, good food, vitamins and water'. It's amazing how instinctively kids already know what to do, we just need to support those ideas by confirming them! They don't always gravitate towards what's right (a cookie is still more appealing than brocolli!) but at least you can question them when they make too many bad choices to get them back on track.
Through my own experience, I would encourage parents to have more health related conversations with their kids. We are seeing more kids suffering from adult diseases than ever before, and it's largely lifestyle and dietary based, so they changes need to start with us!
Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca
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