Food plays so many different roles in life but at the end of the day it is simply …FUEL. For our developing children, this fuel is the “thing” that provides growth and development, immune support, focus, and mental clarity.
Did you know that the food you eat can either wire you up or tone you down?
I am challenged when I see a mother give her child a bag of fruit loops, a sip of a Coke, and some goldfish. Then to make it worse, the kid acts up and the mom goes ballistic. As you read this maybe you are saying to yourself, “well ya, if the kid acts up we have to control the situation.” However, here is the thing, all of those food choices are interpreted by the body as a sugar and the child is basically reacting from ALL OF THAT SUGAR! Yikes!
Sugar, Flour, Dairy (and of course only for us adults…alcohol) all break down and digest as a sugar.
Sugar gives us a false sense of energy. For adults, we handle this differently because our energy is not where it used to be. As for a child, it is totally different, they already have a ton of energy so when you overload this stuff they have a reaction…
BAM, BOOM, KABOOM, fuel that makes your wired!!
Now granted, as humans, we all digest foods differently. Some of us can handle more sugars than others but they are still interpreted as a sugar and our body will still have a reaction, small or big, it will still happen. Then on the flip side you spend countless hours on homework and grades, all with the mindset of learning. A child’s brain can not focus when too many sugars are their primary fuel.
So the next time you serve that bowl of cereal with milk or toast and jam, ask yourself…where is the protein and good quality fats? These are the things that will keep your children focused and centered for their day!
Click HERE for some great breakfast ideas.
With Love and Light,
Adita
