Did you know that too much sugar turns to fat in your body?

Did you know that if you learn to read food labels like a pro, you’ll find all sorts of unhealthy chemicals, hidden sugars and trans-fats which can dull your child’s brain?

If you think sugar and simple carbohydrates are somehow different once you eat them, consider this:  Read the number of carbohydrates on the label, divide by 5 and you’ll know how may teaspoons of sugar you’re eating.

Recently, I was muching on some organic corn chips, and didn’t think about the amout of sugar I was eating.  All of the sudden, I looked at the carbohydrates on the label (35 grams) – divided that by 5 and was shocked to realize I was eating the equivalent of 7  teaspoons of sugar!  Yuck!  My run this morning won’t bring down that quick blood sugar rise.

If you like the idea of raising smarter children, for sure you’ll want to learn to read the food labels like a pro and know which fats are good, which are bad, and everything in between. 

For example, did you know that companies can claim no trans fats in their products, yet still have one portion in there, as long as it’s less than 500 milligrams of transfat?  The New England Journal of Medicine found that trans fat is more dangerous to health than anything else – period!  There is no safe level of trans fat, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fat, palm oil, corn oil or soybean oil, which always contain some levels of trans fats.

I found a blog I like and Dr. Russell Martino has some great free reports on health, weight loss (in this time of obesity and type 2 diabetes epidemic), as well as another on how to read the food labels, all of which will help you be one up on the food industry which really doesn’t have your child’s best interest at heart.

Check out his blog today – it’s one way to raise a smarter, healthier child.

Warmly,

Pat Wyman

Founder, How To Learn and author of Instant Learning For Amazing Grades

If you like this post, share it with others and leave your comments below.

There’s a lot of controversy over whether your child needs vitamins.  Many doctors say your child gets everything they need from their food.  Yet, high quality food is hard to come by in our fast lane life.

Consider this: 

• 24 million Americans have diabetes
• there is a frightening type 2 diabetes epidemic in kids
• the processed foods your child eats comes from a factory, not nature
• young girls develop years earlier than they did 50 years ago – and that may well be due to the hormones and steroids in the meat they eat, which pass into their bodies
• check the label on packaged foods your kids eat – hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fat keeps it on the shelf for years (is this really good for your child’s health)?  (Hydrogenated fat is scientifically altered – literally blasted with hydrogen to turn the liquid fat into a solid).  It increases bad cholesterol and increases the risk of heart disease by more than 23% according to most experts.  And, oh yes, all those crackers, chips, cake mixes, and nearly every other packaged food with hydrogenated fat insures inflammation in your child’s body (and yours too by the way).  This information is via The England Journal of Medicine which says that trans fat “is more dangerous to health that any food contaminant.”

Besides this, most foods are full of pesticides, hormones, antibiotics and steroids.  Sounds appetizing, doesn’t it? 

In addition, many kids snub their vegges, so there is no way your child is going to get the servings on the food pyramid.

It gets worse…every single hour of T.V. your child watches increases their risk of developing obesity by 2% and the frightening facts go on…

So we have a nation of overweight kids, who eat fast food and sugar nearly every day, and we wonder if there’s something we can do to negate the damage.

The facts are that our soil is depleted and the nutrients simply don’t pass into the food.  Our water quality is so bad there’s not much more to say, and worse yet, fruits and vegetables are sprayed with tons of pesticides – what a yummy diet for your child.

While I know this is all a bit scary there are a few things you can do to raise a smarter child and a healthier child, plus consider whether to supplement with vitamins.

1. Reduce T.V. by just one hour per week and studies say it could cut the number of overweight teens by almost a third

2.  Get your child outside playing – not only is this good exercise, even 15 minutes a day in the sun increases the vitamin D – needed for bone growth and a whole lot more

3. Nix most of the sugar and find out where it hides- take a look a just one can of soda, or even some of those trendy bottled juices – saying non-fat?  Hello!  Too much sugar turns into fat in your body -we all know the dangers of sugar by now. (Wait for another post on artificial sweeteners – they are even worse).

While grams and tablespoons are not precisely the same do this:  there are about 12.6 grams of granulated sugar in a tablespoon according to wikipedia.

So, get out an empty glass in the morning.  Add all the grams of sugar your child eats in everything – bread, cereal, soda, crackers, chips, peanut butter, jelly, candy, etc.,  and put the same amount of white, chlorine bleached sugar into that glass – by the tablespoonful. 

Now, show that to your child.  I wonder if you’d want to drink that much sugar. 

4. I know it’s pricey, but you’ll save the money later on the medical bills.  Try and eat organic folks.  No pesticides, no hormones and steroids to make the cows gain 3 pounds per day, no antibiotics in the chickens to help make your child antibiotic resistant…think about your child’s health – your family’s health…

Aren’t the few extra dollars worth your child’s well-being – you’re well-being?

5. O.K.  Last but not least – if you’re thinking consciously about this – you’ve got to be pretty sure that your child doesn’t get all the nutrition needed, in just the right amounts, even by the “pyramid” standards – so you might just want to consider giving high quality vitamins to your child – even just to be on the safe side.  And when I say high quality, I don’t mean the cheapest vitamins you can find – those have fillers and binders to hold those tablets together (yet another bad thing for your body).

Maybe I should turn this into a health blog – sometimes I wonder.  The very basics of raising smarter children start with good health…

Until next post, remember, every child is smart in their own way – as long as you’re keeping your child healthy in the process,

Warmly,

Pat Wyman

Visit our site http://www.howtolearn.com/coachingstudents2.html for the best 8 lessons on how to help  your child get A’s in 14 days (back to school is coming sooner than you think )

Recently, a parent sent us a letter about her son, Brendon. “He’s only in the fifth grade, yet has years of learning and health problems.  His doctor says he’s well on his way to Type II diabetes.  We think he eats well, yet he’s overweight and still suffering from learning problems.  Do you have any thoughts about this?  Could his diet be affecting his learning and his health?”

Since we don’t know precisely what his diet is, we can’t comment about Brendon individually.  However,, we can say with near certainty that not all foods are created equal.  While it may look like Brendon is eating well, his food could have hidden sugars, additives, preservatives and lack even the most basic nutrients, which pediatric allergists say can affect not only his health, but his learning ability as well.

Here’s an excerpt from What’s Food Got To Do With It? 101 Natural Remedies For Learning Disabilties that may give you some additional information to help your son, and help you raise a smarter child.

“Why Our Food Cannot Give Us What We Need…

Most doctors will tell you that your child gets all the nutrition he or she needs from the food they eat.  What you won’t hear however, is how certain food, along with all its additives, preservatives and fat content, may also have serious negative effects on your child.

Also, most medical doctors know very little about nutrition because it is not included in their curriculum.

William Crook, M.D., a long time authority on hyperactivity and learning disabilities, says, “What most doctors say about food and nutrition would be true for our ancestors who ate a variety of unrefined foods, grown in soils which had not been treated with chemicals.  But today, our children are urged by television to consume foods and beverages loaded with sugar and other ‘naked calories;’ (no vitamins and minerals).”

Many medical doctors are generally unaware that our soil is so depleted that fresh fruits and vegetables do not have the mineral content that a healthy body needs.  Basically, through poor crop rotation, loss of valuable topsoil due to flooding, and over irrigation, much of the natural trace mineral content has been lost from our food supply.

The United States Senate (in Senate Document 262, published in 1936) stated, Our physical well-being is more directly dependent upon the minerals we take into our systems than upon calories or vitamins…

It also stated that food produced on mineral deficient land was starving us of perfect health.

In tomorrow’s post, you’ll hear about the largest study ever done, which included over a million schoolchildren, who raised their test scores with simple dietary changes to the cafeteria food.

In the meantime, while Brendon’s diet may look healthy, you may want to check into the organic fruits and vegetables, grown in mineral rich soil, that may be better choice in his diet…”

Remember, every child is smart!

Pat Wyman

P.S.  If you like this post, please send along a comment, or hit the ’share this button below’.  Become part of all the social communities and for more tips on learning, visit our sister site at http://www.HowToLearn.com

Yesterday, we had our guest blogger, Best of Mother Earth, Karen Hanrahan, talk about the dangers of sugar.

The medical journal reports are coming out almost daily on how dangerous too much sugar is for your child and your family – causing a whole host of health problems, ranging from obesity, to Type II diabetes.

Today, Karen has graciously given us some tips for getting kids off the sugar by eating more vegetables.

Here’s how:  http://bestwellnessconsultant.com/2008/09/18/eat-your-vegetables-tricks-for-picky-kids-best-of-mother-earth.aspx

Remember, every child is smart.

Warmly, Pat Wyman and Erin Mavredakis M.D.

P.S. If you like this post, then be sure and leave a comment or questions (add up those two numbers so we know you’re human:):)) , and if you want to help other parents with these tips click on the “share this” button and let the social community know about tips for Raising Smarter Children blog and its tips to help your child be smart in every way.

Thank you, and when you’re looking for other resources to help your child in school, visit our other site at http://www.HowToLearn.com

Does you worry that your child, or other family members eat too much sugar?  There’s so much in the news these days about obesity and the Type II epidemic in kids, our next two posts will give you some solid information on the dangers of sugar and what to do about it from our invited guest blogger, Karen Hanrahan. 

Today she talks about the dangers of sugar – read more at…

http://bestwellnessconsultant.com/2008/10/29/dangers-of-sugar-b-complex-deficiencies-best-of-mother-earth.aspx

Warmly,

Pat Wyman and Erin Mavredakis M.D.

Visit our other site at http://www.HowToLearn.com for more resources to help your child in every way.

If you like this post, please leave a comment and we will reply, as well as click the “share this button” so you can spread the word and help other parents who are concerned that their child, or other family members may be eating too much sugar

Lettuce – A Cure For Type 1 Diabetes

 Researcher, Henry Daniell, Ph.D., a molecular biologist at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, may be well on the way to curing Type I diabetes in your child and the millions of others who have this dreadful disease.

The most amazing thing about Dr. Daniell’s research is that he’s working on perfecting the cure by injecting the human gene for insulin into the leaves of lettuce, grown in the lab. 

After that, leaves can be ground and put into capsules.

Here’s the best part – when the lettuce reaches the intestine, the plant cells meet bacteria and release the insulin. 

Basically, the immune response tells the body to produce its own insulin.

First tested on animals, after only 8 weeks they had normal blood sugar levels and produced insulin on their own. They didn’t even have to take the capsules after that.

Dr. Daniell says people with Type I Diabetes would only have to “take the pill for weeks, not months or years.  Once the immune system responds, they would essentially no longer have the disease.”

He went on to say there were no side effects in the mice and human trials will start next year.

As a parent, with relatives on the other side of the family overrun with Type II diabetes – this new research brought tears of hope to my eyes. 

Remember, every child is smart – and just think of what we can do to make every child healthy!

Warmly,

Pat Wyman and Erin Mavredakis, M.D.

Visit our website, HowToLearn.com for articles, tips and resources to help your child learn anything fast!

If you like this post and have family of friends with Type I Diabetes, please send them to this site to read more, comment on the post, and click the “share this” button below, which helps spread the word to the social media sites.  Thank you.

Healthy Kid Foods

Does your child literally beg you for the latest foods and drinks featured on T.V.?  How about when you go to the grocery store – does your child run up and down the aisles insisitng you buy food and drinks that are promoted with cutsie graphics and even include prizes when you buy them? 

Well, according to a new Canadian study from the University of Calgary, researchers said that nearly three quarters of the “fun, so called, kid healthy” foods they examined, are not really as healthy as they claim.   In fact, the ingredients in some of these foods are precisely what lead to an obese, unhealthy child, who either has or is well on the way to type II diabetes.

Many ads that target your child and what he or she eats can easily lead to sickness and a shortened life span, and with all the medical research to back that up, it’s not even a stretch to believe it. 

According to an Associated Press report on MSNBC, The Federal Trade Commission said nearly $1.6 billion ad dollars target your child in every possible way to buy foods, snacks, and soads they see in movies, on T.V., in magazine ads, on cereal boxes, computers and even cell phones.

Given what the American Medical Association has said about the obesity and type II epidemic in children, it’s more important than ever to pay close attention to food labels and what you feed your child.  Fast food in general, the fries, burgers, and soda drinks will only lead to an overweight child who has the chance to get sicker faster. 

When you go to the store, be savvy.  Check the labels.  For example, the Center for Science in the Public Interest and The National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity, say to check for fat, sugar and sodium content on the labels. 

Sugar hides out as substances like corn syrup, which hits the bloodstream and causes a sharp increase in blood sugar.  Then, it is it’s harder for the body to lower that blood sugar spike.  Not to get to technical, but if your child eats too much sugar, type II diabetes and more damaging conditions are on their way.

Be sure to check the label for any fat that says hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated because these fats are long proven in every peer-reviewed major medical joural on this topic,  to be unhealthy for everyone.

Even foods that claim to be “lite”, hide artificial sweeteners in the ingredients. which can be just as unhealthy as the regular bleached white sugar you bake with or have on the table. The Food and Drug Administration has countless complaints about the effects of artifical sweetners.

Ad spending on so called “kid friendly” foods, definitely contributes to childhood obesity.  According to the research done at the University Of Calgary, 50% of the calories kids eat come from fat or added sugars.  32% of American children are overweight, which does nothing to help their health or learning abilities. 

According to the organizations above, food is deemed to be unhealthy if more than 35% of the calories come from fat, of if it contains more than 3% added sugar by weight. They go on to say that the sodium cut off for a full meal is “770 mg for main meals and 600 mg for individual servings”.

Given that you want your child to stay healthy and live and long and happy life, here are a few healthy kid tips to help your child stay brain and body smart:

1.  Check the foods your child can get at school.  Ask about the ingredients, whether are there candy and soda machines on campus, and does your school use sugary and hydrogenated goodies as fund raisers?

If the answers are not what you know is best for your child, get a group of health conscious parents together, armed with some facts from medical journals and nutritional organizations and put your concerns before the school board.

If the cafeteria food is brought in from fast food restaurants, petition for something more healthy.  Or, pack your child’s lunch with healthy foods.

2.  Take your child on a trip to fast food restaurants.  Get all the nutrition information from the manager, and take a “field trip” to the cooking area if possible.   Take a good hard look at what the food is made of, whether sugar is added to fries to brown them, what percentage of the “beef” is really pure beef, how much fat, sodium and sugar is in each item.  Look at the oil the food is cooked in.  How many grams of sugar are in a soda? 

I’ve found this to be one of the best ways to help kids understand why what they eat can really hurt them.

3.  Make a list with your child before you go to the store.  Put it in two columns.  The second column will show your child how much fat, what kind, how much sugar and what kind, how much sodium, etc. can be allowed on the label.  Also, put artificial colors, msg, and artificial sweeteners of all kinds in the second column.

Then, in the first column, put the list of foods together for the week. 

If that list includes fresh fruits, vegetables, hopefully organic meats, fish and chicken and some truly healthy snacks, let your child help you pick these things out, while paying very close attention to the information in column 2 on the list.  If it doesn’t measure up, don’t buy the food.  It’s that simple.

4.  Look at the total carbohydrate count on the label and divide it by 5 amd that will give you the metabolic equivalent of how much sugar your child is eating.  

When I wanted to show my kids how to see how much sugar was in something, we converted those grams on the label and I had them put that much white table sugar into a glass.  Then I said, how would you like to drink that?

Once I learned about how to keep my children happy, I did hundreds of hours of medical research and the result was my book called, What’s Food Got To Do With It? 101 Natural Remedies For Learning Disabilities.

If you think your child has ADD_ADHD, we put together a 3 book set, called ADD-ADHD.  It contains What’s Food Got To Do With It, Instant Learning For Amazing Grades and Success Strategies For Special Education.  Check these out too, because they contain the information you need on health, learning to get A’s, and strategies for any child diagnosed with a learning challenge.

We want to prevent and cure childhood obesity and prevent type II diabetes.  If you follow these few simple steps, you’re a parent who really cares about your child’s health, and you’ll make great strides in keeping your child as healthy as possible.

Remember, every child is smart – and you need to be smart about what you feed your child,

Warmly,

Pat Wyman and Erin Mavredakis, M.D.

If you like this post, please press the “share this” button below and help spread the word to others about the facts and tips for a healthier child.

The numbers of kids today labeled with ADD – ADHD, hyperactiviy and a whole host of other learning challenges, have reached epidemic proportions.  However, there are things that doctors say can help and many studies show can reduce or even eliminate certain disabilities like ADD ADHD.

One of the most significant things that can help your child is fat – not the doughut or chicken skin kind, but  good fats called essential fatty acids.

According to Sydney Walker III, M.D., the brain is 60% fat with 30% of it in the front part of the brain where focusing and attention takes place.

DHA and Omega 3 oils are known as essential fatty acids, and according to Dr. Walker, dyslexia, dyspraxia (motor coordination, hyperactivity, ADD/ADHD, Bi-Polar disorder and depression are all conditions with essential fatty acid deficiencies.

Essential fatty acids are called good fats because they are important to nearly every function in your body, including handling stress, sleeping, attention, thinking, and your immune system.  So it stands to reason that essential fatty acids are just that – essential to your well being.

Your child will act as he feels – and the tip here is to supply the necessary kinds of good fats needed for great brain function, visual development and even a calmer acting child.

We like and use Omega 3 essential fatty acids from Norway, where the purity is best and safety standards the most stringent in the world.  These Omega 3’s can be purchased from your local store, although they don’t contain the same amounts of essential fatty acids we have, so you’ll need to take more of them.

Remember, always check with your doctor before taking any supplements and the information here is not intended to provide medical advice or take the place of any advice of your health care practioner.

Our goal is to educate you on steps to a smarter child in mind, body and spirit.

Remember, all children are smart,

Pat Wyman and Erin Mavredakis, M.D.

Three quick tips:  1.  Take them on a field trip to their favorite fast food restaurant.  Make sure the manager brings out the menu of the ingredients in the foods they love. Check out the sugar, fat and calories.  If they happen to like fries, did you know a lot of places put sugar on them to make them brown better?

If you can, visit the kitchen.  Check out the stuff food is fried in?  How is the rest of the food prepared?  Nothing like a wake-up call to make the food and body connection real for your child.

2.  As a doctor who sees very sick children, see if you can make arrangements to have your child "volunteer" to cheer up some sick kids.  Make sure these kids are severely overweight (and it could have been controlled by better food choices) and check the side effects of the obesity epidemic.

Next stop – go and see some kids with type II diabetes.  Ask them about their day, taking their blood sugar and what effect it has on their lives.  Another great wake up call for your child.

Then have a chat about food and health.  Just a short one – but now you have some "reality" to add to the mix.

Finally, if your child is taking a test at school, or at home, eat more protein – things like fish, cheese, lean meats, eggs, etc. so their blood sugar stays more stable and they can concentrate longer.

Sugary snacks leave them hungry for more sugar in about twenty minutes, and brain fog can set in, making it tough to think. 

Think about what’s in the fridge and what things your kids snack on.  After they have taken their field trips, maybe they can make the grocery list for a few days.  See if anything changes – you may be very surprised and happy at what they choose.

Remember, every child is smart in their own way,

Pat Wyman, M.A. and Erin Mavredakis, M.D.