In today’s fast advancing world, everyone prefers to have things fast. Fast food, junk food or processed foods have gained an easy entry on our dinner tables. Most of the time working parents are too busy to look into the nutritional demands of their children, which leads to a host of complications in their health. In this article, we talk about Healthy Child Healthy World.
Today, let us look at how we can inculcate good eating habits in our children. This will also help us to introduce foods that are much needed in their diet.
Below is a short quiz that will help you do just that.
Research has indicated that facial features, nails, skin color, swelling, dryness and dark circles around the eyes etc., reveal a child’s health status. Each part of the face is connected to an organ in the body. Research also indicates that our mouth area represents the digestive tract of the body. Your face is partially due to your genetic constitution and partially it also represents your current lifestyle choices.
Generally speaking, the upper lip represents the upper digestive tract such as the stomach area, while the lower lip represents the lower digestive tract i.e. the colon area. Ideally the lips are the healthiest when they appear equally thick.
Healthy Child Healthy World
Firstly, let us look at some facial features that will give us some clues into a child’s health.
1.Swollen lower lip
In today’s children, we often notice that children have a swollen lower lip. This is due to the excessive intake of acid and mucus forming foods like bread, cookies, chips, cheese and sugar products. This clearly indicates poor absorption and digestion of food and also excessive gas.
[content-egg module=Amazon template=grid]2. Acne
Development of acne, spots or swelling on the cheek region relates to respiratory or lung problems.
3. Dark circles under the Eyes
Usually, the dark skin under the eyes or around the eyes could mainly relate to two things –
a. Cold and depleted Kidneys
It means that the blood in the kidneys has become cold and hard due to the lack of heat. Warm blood is not flowing, resulting in the blood in the kidney region becoming stagnant and putrid. This is mostly a genetic condition.
b. Weakened immune and circulatory system.
This happens when the child is not physically active or the food eaten is not metabolized. When food is not metabolized properly, then it becomes putrid instead of nourishing.
The other reason is that the quality of food is acid forming. Excessive eating of sugar, oily foods and preservatives on a daily basis can cause this condition.
Some of the causes of these conditions are:
- Children are not physically active and so the blood circulation does not happen properly.
- Lack of motivation and unfilled desires.
- Intense fear and anxiety.
- Eating too much of acid-forming foods like sugar, fatty, salty and oily foods.
Some remedial steps that can be taken to avoid these cases :
- Increase the child’s physical activities and motivate them with positive encouraging words.
- Improve the blood circulation in the body with a light massage using a heat application liked a warm towel or a warm oil compress.
- Completely reduce acid forming foods like sugar, caffeine, spicy, ready to eat chemical laden foods.
- Eat a balanced diet based on whole grains, beans, fresh fruits and vegetables. Eat plenty of horse gram lentils, kidney beans, green moong beans and whole split black gram.
- Drink alkaline hot beverages like ginger, basil tea, herbal tea, plain warm water etc.
- Avoid cold foods like aerated drinks, ice-creams, canned fruit juices, plain ice etc.
- Increase ginger in your food and reduce hot spices.
As we all know, God has given us clues for what is good for our body. The brain looks like a walnut and the walnut has been proven to be a good food for the brain. Similarly asparagus resembles fallopian tubes and so it is helpful in healing female reproductive disorders.
Beans are shaped like kidneys and beans in turn nourish the kidneys. Kidneys are an organ of elimination. They let go of what is not needed in the body and hold onto the healthy minerals. A child with weak kidneys is tired, whiny, unmotivated and unadventurous.
Recipes for good kidney health
1.Chickpea Hummus
Chickpeas are an excellent source of protein and fibre for young children. Hummus makes a great snack. It is also known to produce more serotonin in the brain, which keeps the child happy and fulfilled.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup dry white chick peas soaked overnight and cooked until soft.
- 1 cup of dry beans is approximately 3 cups of cooked beans.
- ½ to ¾cup cooking water from the soaked chickpeas.
- 3-4 garlic cloves crushed.
- 3 tbsp lemon juice.
- Salt to taste.
- ¼cup sesame butter (tahini sauce).
- 2-3 green chillies, de-seeded and chopped (optional).
Method:
- Blend all to smooth consistency. You can add fresh herbs like basil, parsley or coriander.
- Serve it with grilled bread, chapatti, roti or fresh raw vegetables like carrots, cucumber, radish etc.
2. Green Gram Idli
This is an excellent source of carbohydrates, fibre, proteins and nutrients.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of whole green gram.
- ¼ cup urad dal.
- 3-4 small green chillies, de-seeded and thinly sliced.(optional).
- 1 cup fresh green coriander chopped finely.
- 2 tbsp fresh mint chopped.
- Salt to taste.
Method:
- Wash both the dals and soak for 2 hours. Grind it with green chillies until smooth.
- Let the mixture ferment overnight, for about 24 hours. Add a little water to get the thick idli batter consistency.
- Add salt, chopped fresh coriander and mint and mix it well.
- Pour it in the idli moulds and steam it for 15 minutes.
- Serve it with coconut chutney.
