Fit Kids
Being fit at any age means eating well, getting plenty of exercise, managing stress, and having enough downtime to rejuvenate. For kids this can be a difficult task because they have school, homework, sports, church, friends, and other interests competing for their time. Finding the balance between these activities and “fit” time can definitely be a challenge. Find great ideas here at Optimum Wellness for supporting kids with the tools they need to get fit, maintain balance, and make healthful choices.
Healthier Halloween
October 14, 2011
by Optimum Wellness
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Halloween has a rich history behind it and there are certainly many traditions well worth keeping. This ancient festival has been around for over 2000 years and is attributed to the Celtic people of the United Kingdom, Ireland, and northern France. Originally Halloween was a celebration that took place in the form of a festival [...]
Good Fats for Good Grades
September 15, 2011 by Optimum Wellness 0 Comments
As parents we do the best we can to help our children succeed. Eating the right kinds of fats may help them to thrive in school and in life. In a country where nearly 30% of kids are either overweight or obese, it can be easy to turn dietary fat in to a boogeyman-but striving to remove all fats from the diet can be a huge mistake! A Purdue University study (Am J Clin Nutr January 2000 vol. 71) showed that kids low in Omega-3 essential fatty acids are significantly more likely to be hyperactive, have learning disorders, and to display behavioral problems.
Kid-Friendly Snacks
August 22, 2011 by Optimum Wellness 0 Comments
In the last few years snacking has become big business on many levels. The latest diet trends encourage snacking throughout the day or at least consuming healthy snacks between your meals. This helps keep blood sugar balanced and prevents binge eating later in the day.
How to Deal with Health-Obsessed Parents
July 22, 2011 by Optimum Wellness 3 Comments
As told by Elli, age 9:
My parents are obsessed with eating well and exercising everyday. That makes me feel tired sometimes and what 9 year-old kid wants to feel tired all the time, like I sometimes do? It’s taken me a while, but I’ve finally figured out some of the best ways to deal with [...]
Tempering the Sweet Tooth
October 12, 2010 by Optimum Wellness 0 Comments
Let’s face it, most of us have a sweet tooth or a craving for that one particular sweet. As parents, we do our best to teach our kids to make healthy choices, but if we totally ban the “forbidden fruit” one has to wonder if we are just creating a problem of sugar binge eating later in life (when we are not around to act as the food police). Does that mean we keep an endless supply of sweets on hand at all times?
Fruit Pizza
June 8, 2010 by Optimum Wellness 1 Comment
This is a lot of fun to create with kids. A great summertime dessert and potluck favorite.
Why Kids Need More Sleep
April 1, 2010 by Optimum Wellness 0 Comments
Sleep is incredibly important to every child’s health, well-being, and vitality. There is yet another study out that gives one more reason why adolescents need their sleep.
Fit Kids
March 28, 2010 by Optimum Wellness 0 Comments
Between the ages of about 5 and 18 kids are developing, learning, creating, playing, obeying, acting out and discovering who they really are. Meanwhile, they have homework, sports, music lessons, church, electronics and more to keep them wonderfully distracted and occupied at all hours every day. I know what a challenge it can be to find balance amid the chaos and I know that most kids want to do it all, have it all and thrive at the same time.
Keeping Food Fun
March 2, 2010 by Optimum Wellness 0 Comments
You want to make healthy choices for your family but you don’t know where to start. Or perhaps you think your kids are going to rebel when you go from curly fries to kale overnight. Rest assured that there are many creative ways to keeping food fun and healthy when it comes to feeding your family.
By Gum, I Think He’s Got It!
February 2, 2010 by Optimum Wellness 0 Comments
A new study suggests chewing gum might be good for concentration. In a recent study out of Baylor College of Medicine, researchers found that chewing gum may have a positive effect on academic performance in teenagers.
