Eat, drink, poop: Teaching kids about health

Take the opportunity to teach kids some easy health lessons that will last a lifetime.

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Photo credit: Philip and Karen Smith/Photographer’s Choice RF/Getty Images

t We teach our kids to be aware of what goes on around them, from bullies to dangers on the Internet.

t But our kids should also be aware of what’s going on inside them.

t Adults can get squeamish, but kids are fascinated with their own body processes. What kid doesn’t love looking down into the toilet, proud of what he’s “produced?”

t Take the opportunity to teach kids some easy health lessons that will last a lifetime.

5 Things to teach kids about health

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Eat

t Chances are, your kids are picky eaters. So tie healthy eating to what they love. Broccoli makes the superhero stronger. Carrots make you hop higher. Apples and oranges make you run faster on the playground.

t Start early, teaching your kids that the quality of their foods is directly related to the quality of their performance. My clients who are professional athletes understand this. As parents, you will appreciate knowing that the quality of their food is directly correlated to the quality of their attitude.

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Drink

t When their lips are dry, it’s past time to drink water. Water is better than any sports drink or soda out there. Drinking water helps keep you from getting sick, and helps you process your food to create energy. Proper hydration can fend off a headache and is a requirement to live a healthy and happy life.

t If your kids like to drink juices and sodas, insist that they drink 8 ounces of water before they take a sip of anything else.

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Poop

t Everybody, even kids, should have at least one good bowel movement per day to make sure foods are being digested and utilized properly. It shouldn’t be painful to poop. If it is, you want them to tell you about it.

t I cannot tell you how many of my 40-year-old clients grasp the importance of pooping. Make sure your kids grow up with a proper bowel education.

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Cope

t Children aren’t immune to stress and anxiety, and failure to cope with these challenges can lead to bigger problems later. Try teaching your kids an easy, stress-reducing breathing exercise: Plug the left nostril with your thumb and breathe in through the right nostril. Then release the left nostril and plug the right one. Breathe out through the left. Repeat by breathing in on the left.

t Deep breathing like this dilates the blood vessels, calms the mind and relaxes the body.

t See if your kids like essential oils. I take my kids to the health food store and let them pick an oil that makes them feel relaxed. We use a few drops in their bathtub.

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Check in

t Keep an open door when it comes to your kids, their bodies and how they feel. It might be obvious when your child has a cold, but it’s not so obvious if she’s constipated or dealing with anxiety. Creating regular, normal conversations about how kids feel physically will head off problems down the road and instill in them the importance of listening to their bodies.

tAbout Haylie Pomroy

t Hailed as “the metabolism guru,” celebrity nutritionist, wellness consultant and author Haylie Pomroy has spent two decades helping people lose weight, overcome health challenges and reach optimal health, while still enjoying real food and not going hungry. Her books, The Fast Metabolism Diet and The Fast Metabolism Diet Cookbook were instant New York Times bestsellers, and she is regularly featured on the Dr. Oz Show.