News Taffy

Somewhere in adolescence, many girls get caught up in dieting and worrying about their weight. Unfortunately, most go about it the wrong way and I worry about their health. I have written about this subject before on my other blog but it can’t be emphasized enough. Schools should really teach basic health care starting in elementary classes. Children today often can’t identify many fruits and vegetables and because of all the processed foods, can’t identify where food comes from. They also don’t learn what the human body needs to be healthy and to operate at optimum level. I therefore find it odd that many people locally have criticized the Health and Wellness magnet school because of the garden and kitchen activities done there.

Many young girls skip meals in order to lose weight and then drink sodas or eat chips. I see this all the time. Even worse, many girls (and boys!) just eat junk all the time and don’t care or know better. It’s past time that we teach our young people the importance of good nutrition and a healthy body. For the next couple of weeks, I’d like to address a few basics in better eating for young people. If you have a preteen or teen, try to get them to read this post. Here are a few rules for eating as a teen. I apologize in advance for my bluntness.

Drink water and milk every day. Tea is ok but try to leave out the sugar. Your body is made of mostly water so you have to replace the water you lose through sweating, breathing and yes, peeing. Milk helps keep your bones and teeth strong and provides other nutrition your body needs. SKIP cokes. Sodas do nothing good for you but pack on the pounds so only drink them once in awhile or not at all. Sodas are one of the biggest reasons Americans are fat. By the way, not drinking enough water is a cause of headaches, confusion and being tired. You can tell if you’ve had enough to drink if your pee is mostly clear, not yellow, so check.

Yes, you HAVE to eat fruits and vegetables. French fries, chips and fruit rollups do NOT count as vegetables or fruits. Fruits and vegetables contain many vitamins, minerals and fiber that your body must have to function well over time. Try to get at least three servings a day, more is better. Eat a banana, apple or orange. Eat a few carrot sticks or a salad. Just try not to drown the vegetables in ranch dip. If you say you hate vegetables, you can get off your butt and cook them a new way. Don’t be a baby, be willing to try something you’ve never eaten.

You need to avoid eating the following: chips, french fries, pizza, hamburgers, sodas, anything sold at a concession stand, ice cream, fast food in general, cookies, packaged snacks and candy. Why? These foods are low in anything good for you but high in fat, salt and sugar. Yes, they might taste good but they will pack on the pounds, raise your blood pressure and lead to diabetes. The last two are diseases you do NOT want to have as they can lead to early, early death. Like in your twenties or thirties. Wouldn’t you hate to think you are middle aged right now? Some of you may be.

That’s enough for you to digest right now. Check back next week for more tips.

-Lisa