Breakfast Recipes for Kids

Palak Lachha Paratha

Palak lachha paratha is an easy, healthy spinach paratha recipe.

How to make Palak Lachha Paratha!!!

Palak Lachha Paratha and Dal Tadka made for a delectable healthy vegetarian meal.

Ingredients:2 cups atta/whole wheat flour/godhuma pindipinch of salt (optional)

1 cup spinach puree (wash, blanch and puree 2 bunches of spinach)

1/2 – 3/4 tsp red chili powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

3/4 tsp carrom seeds/ajwain/waamu

salt to taste

1 Prepare a soft pliable dough of the atta/whole wheat flour, palak puree, carrom seeds, red chili powder, coriander powder and salt. Add little water if necessary while preparing the dough. Allow to sit for 3-4 hrs (minimum an hour).
2 Pinch off large lemon sized balls from the dough. Dust some flour on the working surface and roll each ball to about 5-6″ in diameter. Drizzle a few drops of ghee or oil and spread it around the paratha. Dust a little flour all over.
3 Use a knife and cut 3 inches from the center of the paratha to one end of the rolled out paratha. Take the cut end of the paratha and roll it towards the other end of the paratha (towards the cut side). See picture above.
4 Flatten it lightly with your palm. Dust the working surface and roll out a thick paratha. Prepare with the rest of the dough.
5 Heat a tawa and place on high flame. Place paratha on the hot tawa. Cook on both sides till brown spots appear and the paratha is cooked. Drizzle ghee on both sides and serve hot with dal tadka, yogurt, salad and pickle of your choice. Makes for a complete meal.

Watermelon Lemonade Recipe

Summer heat is very bad in India,drinking copious amounts of juices, smoothies and milkshakes.Watermelon Lemonade Recipe wonderful concoction with sweet and sour flavors and quenches our thirst during these sultry summer days. Just some freshly squeezed lemon juice, honey, a dash of salt and of course watermelon juice.

Watermelon Lemonade Recipe

Blend 3 cups of watermelon cubes and strain (if required). Keep aside.
Add 3 tbsps honey, 5 tbsps freshly squeezed lemon juice and 1/4 tsp salt to 3 cups of ice cold water. Add the blended watermelon juice to the lemonade and mix. Serve in tall glasses with ice cubes.

Variation – Add crushed mint leaves, 1/2 tsp chaat masala and 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder for a desi twist.

How to live a healthy life and look after yourself!!!

Be active…

Sitting in front of the TV or playing computer games while stuffing your face with chips and chocolate is not the path to a healthy life. You need to find a way to be active that suits you. So what do you like? Do you enjoy walking, running, dancing, surfing, bike riding, playing a team sport or swimming? Being active doesn’t have to mean ‘no pain – no gain’; it just means that you have to get out there and get moving. So try doing something every day.

Before you start moaning and groaning about daily exercise stop and think about the benefits. Being active will improve your strength, flexibility and mobility. You’ll sleep better, feel better and have more energy. And if that doesn’t convince you then think about all the time you can spend with your friends discovering heaps of cool new stuff to do – like rock climbing or horse riding.

Your body, your temple…

You have heard it all before, but you are what you eat. So you need to take care of your body and think about what you shove in your gob. This doesn’t mean you have to give up favourite foods. Food gives you the vitamins, minerals and energy for everyday life. You need to eat a variety of healthy foods, and eat an adequate amount of each, to keep you fuelled up each day. If you do, you’re more likely to feel good and look your great. It only takes small changes in the way you eat, and balance healthy eating with being active.

Sleep well

You need sleep. It’s really important in your teen years, because this is when your body does most of it’s growing. You need deep, uninterrupted sleep.

Express yourself 

It’s good to express how you are feeling. Talk it out. Keeping things bottled up takes lot of energy and it’s not healthy to hold onto tension. If you have difficulty expressing yourself to others, then there are other ways to find the release you need. You could write about how you feel in a diary or journal. Or you could write a poem or story. If writing’s not your thing, then you could express yourself through drawing, painting or any other visual medium. Remember it’s not a contest, you don’t have to show what you create to anyone.

If you don’t think you have a creative bone in your body, that’s OK. There are other ways that you can let loose. You may choose to express yourself by cranking up the stereo and singing along to your favourite songs. While you’re there why not try dancing too. Wave your arms in the air and invent your own silly dance. Bet you can’t do it without laughing at yourself. And laughing is incredibly healthy.

Role of different food items!!!

Eat healthy for a good life!!!

Spices

Use spices such as ginger, lemon, cumin, ajwain, turmeric, asafoetida and honey in your food is advisable. These food ingredients help improve digestion. So you don’t suffer from acidity or nausea due to overeating in winters. They help in increasing body temperature.

Cow Milk

Consuming butter milk with cumin powder while eating or after meals is beneficial. It is better to reduce the intake of non-vegetarian and oily foods in winters. Milk, clarified butter, mawa, rabri, kheer, cream and sweets are foods that provide energy.

Moderate consumption of fat, especially 2 tsps of ghee from cow’s milk daily, helps produce enough heat in the body and is good for skin and joints.

 

Grains

Wheat, millet, maize, gram, moong, black gram and masoor are especially beneficial.

High-energy-dense wholegrains, especially bajra and makai (corn); energy and protein-dense whole legumes, nuts and oilseeds help increase the body temperature.

During winter, one likes to eat gajar halwa and dishes prepared with sesame seeds and jaggery.

 

Seasonal fruits and vegetables 

It is best to consume seasonal fruits and vegetables, as they are loaded with nutrients. For example, orange, sweet lime and amla that are available in winters are rich in Vitamin C, which helps build immunity. Juices of amla, carrot and tomato are highly beneficial. Amla products like murabba, amla juice and chawanprash are beneficial in winters.

Leafy vegetables like methi, palak and sarson that are rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin C are good antioxidants.

Root vegetables such as carrots, white radish, onion and garlic are preferable, as they are warm in nature.You should also consume carrot, radish, tomato and cucumber in form of salads.

The body needs more calories to keep warm during the winter season. This can be provided by consuming starchy roots like potato and yam.

Other food items like groundnut, date, papaya, banana, apple, pomegranate and cheeku are also beneficial. It is good to eat dates boiled in milk for two hours after evening meals.

 

Soups

Soups are an excellent and easy way to incorporate all the dietary elements of the winter diet; and soups cooked in a slow-cooker are ideal. Baking or roasting vegetables and meats will give you the added benefit of warming your home and filling it with an aroma that will nourish your spirit.

The following diet is advisable in winters:

·         A cup of herbal tea infused with ginger, tulsi, lemon grass, cardamom, pepper & honey

·         A warm cup of cow’s milk with haldi at bedtime

·         A bowl of lentil soup

·         Make sure that you drink enough water (8-10 glasses of water daily) even if not thirsty 

It is important to incorporate sesame seeds and groundnuts in your food during winters, as they are rich in proteins and help overcome the cold. Many Indian dishes use groundnuts as the main ingredient. Sesame seeds can be used to make til laddus.

 

Cooking

It is best to bake, broil, roast and slow-cook foods in winter season.

Oil

Mustard oil is great for winter season as it is rich in vitamins and antioxidants.

Being high in calories, it is good for the season and it is recommended in cholesterol reduction programs.

Flaxseed oil, very rich in omega-3 is recommended for seasoning of salads.

Calculate Body Mass Index!!!

BMI for Children…

For children and teens, overweight is defined differently than it is for adults. Children are still growing, and boys and girls develop at different rates. So, BMI for children 2 to 20 years old is determined by using a BMI chart that compares their weight and height along with growth charts. The growth charts use a child’s BMI, age, and sex to produce a BMI percentile.

A child’s BMI percentile shows how his or her BMI compares with other boys or girls of the same age. A child or teen that is between the 85th and 95th percentile on the growth chart is considered at risk of overweight. A child or teen that is at the 95th percentile or above is considered overweight. For children, BMI is used to screen for overweight, healthy weight, or underweight. For example, a child may have a high BMI for age and gender, but to determine if excess fat is a problem, a health care provider would need to perform further assessments.

A BMI percentile will not tell you if your child has or will get a disease. However, you should ask your family doctor, pediatrician, or other health care provider about your child’s BMI percentile and whether they are at risk for disease.

 

Did you know you had a Body mass index???

Body mass index is a calculation that uses your height and weight to estimate how much body fat you have. Too much body fat is a problem because it can lead to illnesses and other health problems.

BMI, although not a perfect method for judging someone’s weight, is often a good way to check on how a kid is growing.

The best way to determine your BMI is to have your doctor do it for you. That way, you’ll know the number is accurate and your doctor can discuss the result with you and your mom or dad.

Four Categories

Once you know your BMI, you’ll learn that you are in one of four categories:

1. Underweight: less than the 5^th percentile
2. Healthy weight: greater than or equal to 5^th but less than 85^thpercentiles (in other words: 5^th to 84^th percentile)
3. Overweight: greater than or equal to 85^th but less than 95^thpercentiles (85^th to 94^th percentile)
4. Obese: greater than or equal to the 95^th percentile

A kid whose BMI is at the 50^th percentile is close to average compared with the kids of the same age and gender who were measured to make the chart. A kid at the 85^th to 94^th percentiles is considered overweight. And a kid who measures at or above the 95^th percentile is considered obese, a term doctors use that means very overweight.

How BMI Can Change

It’s important to remember that BMI is interpreted differently for adults. There are separate charts for men and women, but they don’t use percentiles at all — just number ranges that are considered underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese (which means very overweight). That’s because adults have stopped growing and their age is no longer a major consideration when it comes to weight.

Kids, on the other hand, are growing. And it’s common for kids to gain weight during certain times in childhood, such as puberty. The charts take growth into account.

The following example shows that in action: Here’s a look at a boy as he grows yet stays in the 50^th percentile for BMI, which means he’s average. Notice that his BMI goes up and down, but he continues to stay at the same percentile.

Age	BMI	Percentile
2 years	16.5	50th
4 years	15.8	50th
8 years	16.0	50th
12 years	17.5	50th

Where BMI Can Fall Short

BMI is not the whole story when it comes to someone’s weight. A more muscular kid might have a higher weight and BMI but not have too much body fat. A smaller kid could have an ideal BMI, but might have less muscle and too much body fat.

Also, it’s very common for kids to gain weight quickly — and see the BMI go up — during puberty. Because of these and other considerations, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor if you have questions about whether you are at your ideal weight.

If your doctor tells you your BMI is high, don’t let it get you down. Instead, talk to your doctor about what you should do to lower your BMI. Unlike adults, kids don’t usually need to diet. But by eating healthier and getting more exercise, a kid can improve his or her BMI.

Controlling a weight problem while you’re still a kid can help you avoid becoming an overweight adult and developing health problems like diabetes and heart disease. With a little effort, your BMI will be JWIOTB — just where it ought to be!

Growth Charts!!!

About Growth Charts

Look at any class picture, and you’ll see kids of the same age in all shapes and sizes. Some kids look tiny next to their peers, while others literally stand head and shoulders above their classmates.

As easy as it is to make these comparisons and to draw conclusions about what you see, the reality is that kids grow at their own pace. Big, small, tall, short — there is a wide range of healthy shapes and sizes among children.

Genetics, gender, nutrition, physical activity, health problems, environment, hormones, and lifestyle factors like nutrition and physical activity all influence a child’s height and weight. And many of these factors can vary widely from family to family.

So how does a doctor figure out whether a child’s height and weight measurements are “normal”? Whether he or she is developing on track? Whether any health problems are affecting growth?

A doctor uses growth charts to help answer those questions. Here are some facts about growth charts and what they say about a child’s health.

Why Do Doctors Use Growth Charts?

Growth charts are a standard part of any checkup, and they show health care providers how kids are growing compared with other kids of the same age and gender. They also allow doctors and nurses to see the pattern of kids’ height and weight gain over time, and whether they’re developing proportionately.

Let’s say a child was growing along the same pattern until he was 2 years old, then suddenly started growing at a much slower rate than other kids. That might indicate a health problem. Doctors could see that by looking at a growth chart.

If a Growth Chart Shows a Different Pattern, Is There a Problem?

Not necessarily. The doctor will interpret the growth charts in the context of the child’s overall well-being, environment, and genetic background. Is the child meeting other developmental milestones? Are there other signs that a child is not healthy? How tall or heavy are the child’s parents and siblings?  These are all factors that the doctor will use to help understand the numbers on the growth chart.

Are All Kids Measured on One Growth Chart?

No. Girls and boys are measured on different growth charts because they grow in different patterns and at different rates.

And one set of charts is used for babies, from birth to 36 months. Another set of charts is used for kids ages 2 to 20 years old.

What Measurements Are Put on Growth Charts?

Up until the time babies are 36 months old, doctors measure weight, length, and head circumference.

With older kids, doctors measure weight, height, and body mass index (BMI). It’s important to look at and compare weight and height measurements to get a full picture of a child’s growth.

 

Risk factors for childhood obesity!!!

Your body stores unused energy (kilojoules) as body fat. To maintain a healthy weight, you need to use (or ‘burn’) the energy from the foods you eat. If you eat more than you use, your body will store the extra energy as fat. 

Factors that may cause children to become overweight and obese include:

• Food choices – such as choosing high fat and sugary foods instead of healthier options.
• Lack of physical activity –Indian  children are less active than they were in the past.
• Spending a lot of time on sedentary pursuits – Indian children watch, on average, around 2½ hours of television a day, as well as spending time using computers and other electronic games. It seems that these pastimes are replacing active ones.
• Genetics – some rare gene disorders cause severe childhood obesity. In many other people, particular genes acting together probably make some children more susceptible to obesity. If there is a family tendency to become overweight, parents need to be even more aware of making healthy food choices for the whole family.

Cause of obesity in children

More children are becoming overweight and obese. Causes of obesity in children include unhealthy food choices, lack of physical activity and family eating habits. Weight gain occurs when you eat more calories than your body uses up. If the food you eat provides more calories than your body needs, the excess is converted to fat. Initially, fat cells increase in size. When they can no longer expand, they increase in number. If you lose weight, the size of the fat cells decreases, but the number of cells does not.The rise in the number of overweight children is disturbing because it causes health problems and can lead to social problems. Overweight children are more likely to be teased by their peers or to develop low self-esteem or body image problems. Once children are overweight, it requires a lot of effort and commitment for them to return to a healthy weight. 

Overweight and obesity in children are among the most important risks to children’s long and short-term health. Overweight children are very likely to become overweight adults. 

 

What is Childhood Obesity ?

Obesity means an excess amount of body fat. No general agreement exists on the lowest definition of obesity in children and adolescents, unlike standards for adults. Nevertheless, most professionals accept published guidelines based on the body mass index (BMI) — modified for age, pubertal stage, and gender — to measure obesity in children and adolescents. Others define pediatric obesity as body weight at least 20% higher than the healthy weight range for a child or adolescent of that height, or as a body fat percentage above 25% in boys or above 32% in girls.Although rare in the past, obesity is now among the most widespread medical problems affecting children and adolescents