Mark’s Daily Apple

Reader Response: Practical Advice for Parents8

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Caution: It is a dietary mine field out there. Kiddie junk food high and low! Parents, proceed at your own risk. And remember. Your seedlings deserve better.

Nancy S. offered these comments in response to last week’s News on the Seedling Front.

As a parent, I could really use some practical, realistic ideas about what to do for my kids. Specifically, lunch-box solutions that will keep them eating healthy and able to concentrate in school (and not trying to trade away their lunch for some kid’s HoHo). As a parent it is so easy to feel overwhelmed by all the stuff you are probably doing wrong, so having someone help you do what is right can go a long way to helping solve the problem!

Nancy’s comments really got us talking and sharing “war” stories. Many of us have been there or are in the midst of it now. Mark, himself, has a 14-year-old and 17-year-old. Parents’ jobs can often be thankless. Whatever it counts for, we understand – and empathize! We’ll devote a short series, in fact, to the seedlings questions Nancy and others have raised regarding day-to-day, in-the-trenches options.

Now for some practical tips and humble advice for all the parents and grandparents out there… But before we venture into these swampy, menacing waters, we should offer a fair warning. What’s that saying about “Beware those who enter here”? The subject of kids and food is not for the faint of heart. No mincing of words. In a recent post Mark had this to say about The Art of Compromise in the Primal Blueprint: Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. This goes double when dealing with seedlings. With that said…

• Perhaps it goes without saying, but the first step is to make the commitment to a healthy diet yourself. As we all know, the “do as I say not as I do” philosophy just doesn’t cut it. Kids watch you like hawks and remember like elephants. Be honest and get your thinking out on the table – your personal health goals, your favorites, your failings. If they know you understand that making these kinds of changes can be difficult, they’ll likely be more open with you about their choices and concerns. As with everything in parenting, genuineness and credibility will get you further than some unapproachable projection of perfection.

• See the process as “training your child’s tastes” rather than imposing a certain diet from day one. Viewing the process through a “training” lens will encourage a little more fun and flexibility. The focus should be on the positive – incorporating the new – rather than simply slashing and burning everything they’re used to. Use the familiar to help switch gears. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Every kid loves comfort food, and it doesn’t always have to be unhealthy. Think about stews, meatloaf (with reduced or substituted breadcrumbs), hearty soups, flavorful salads with some creative condiments (e.g. veggie loaded homemade pesto or hummus). Look for specific foods and menus next week!

• Buck the processed and sugar laden beverages. Water, decaf tea, milk. You don’t need anything else. (But you can consider organic, no-added-sodium vegetable juice. Little ones especially may go for it.) Make regular drinks special by getting some natural mineral water (Gerolsteiner, Pellegrino, etc.) and putting a slice of lemon or some cherries in it. As for cocoa, it’s a dessert that’s at your discretion. Choose the genuine article (organic if possible), and barely, if at all, sweeten it. (This alteration may take some time – all part of the taste training.)

• You can never start too early. Skip infant cereal. Keep kids away from any form of sugar as long as humanly possible. Some parents/grandparents/relatives will give kids sweets before kids even know what they are or have any interest in them. These people tend to do it for entertainment or nostalgia sake. Here’s our take: milk your kid’s naive ignorance for all it’s worth. And tell well-meaning relatives that some things are just off limits (at least for now).

• You can never start too late. Parents can worry that once they’ve gone down a certain road with their kids that it’s impossible to turn it around. If parents can make the commitment, they can get their kids on board. Sure, expect complaints, but don’t get thrown by them. It will take extra time, but stick to your guns and don’t forget to make it fun for everyone. Which leads us to…

• Make the changes a family commitment and even an opportunity for family events. Strawberry picking season is coming up. Make a day of it at an area farm. Or let them help you shop at a farmer’s market (little to no processed foods here!). It’s a great opportunity for kids to see just how many vegetables and fruits there are and to find their favorites when all the “junk” is out of the picture.

• Make it fun. Try an “international dinner” one night a week when you fix healthy cuisine from a different culture. Decorate, download music, dance, go whole hog. The little ones will love it, and the older ones will enjoy it too (however much they roll their eyes).

• Give them responsibility. If your children are old enough, put them in charge of planning and preparing one healthy meal a week.

• Take it in steps. If you’re facing a major overhaul, take the “whole foods” step first. Out with the processed foods. It will do kids good to see what goes into real food. If they can’t make it or bake it from scratch, it’s not for dinner. Sugar (in all its forms) could be the next step. (But you’d be surprised how much sugar you already cut out going the “whole foods” approach.) We’d recommend putting fruit juice in this category, but keep plenty of actual fruit available for them. Another good “step,” as Nancy mentioned, is cutting gluten from your child’s diet. This may be particularly useful for children with ADD or ADHD, many of whom may be gluten sensitive. You can also experiment with reducing/eliminating dairy to see if it makes a difference for your child.

• As you continue to progress in stages, don’t worry about absolutes. Remember, the Primal Blueprint allows for personal compromises. Kids should have the same opportunity we do to practice a little indulgence. Children who are old enough to understand the conversation can and should have a say in what they want their indulgences to be. Let it be a continuing collaboration of interests and reasonable limits.

• Buy better quality. Take the money you save in chucking the processed food from the grocery list and invest it in better quality produce, meats, cheeses and other whole foods. Let’s face it: iceberg lettuce doesn’t inspire anyone. Baby romaine or this Spring’s fresh spinach – that’s what we’re talking about. Set up a mini salad bar and let them add their own veggies and other fixings.

• Don’t underestimate the power of presentation. Children are blessedly predictable in this regard. Shamelessly use it to your advantage.

• Allow a little give for special occasions, but don’t totally backslide. You might instigate a revolt if you suddenly scrap Thanksgiving pie or Junior’s favorite birthday cake. Believe it or not, they might be lobbying for more than a sugar opportunity. Traditions mean more to kids than we often understand. Choose your battles.

• Supplement wisely, as we always say. A quality, complete kid’s multi-vitamin can cover your bases. We’d recommend a fish oil supplement as well, but O.K. the idea and particular supplement with your pediatrician first. Look for an appropriate children’s dose that is guaranteed, independently tested pure from toxins. (The kids’ versions usually come flavored to boot.)

Thanks to Nancy and everyone who have offered seedling questions and comments. As said, look for more on this topic next week. In the meantime, we’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences with feeding the seedlings in your life.

fishy fish arcade, foreversouls, pengrin, Peter J. Zaki, elmada, roboppy, Nanon, yoppy, Erin Nealy Flickr Photos

Further Reading:

Seedlings and the “Need” for Nature

Questions About Soy Formula

Children and the Importance of Sleep

If you like this post please share it with StumbleUpon.

Posted: Health, Health Challenges, How To, Raise Healthy Seedlings

Eat This Today, Feel Better Tomorrow: Intermittent Fasting Trial0

Earlier today we highlighted some approaches to intermittent fasting and recommended a condensed eating window for those who were new to IF. Over time, many people who regularly IF with the condensed approach develop their “ideal” timing and balance to food intake during their eating windows.

For those who are new to the approach, we thought we’d offer up a simple (and easily modified) set of ideas for inspiration. Include all or some of the items in your condensed eating window, depending on your appetite and available time to cook. While we believe in including a good variety of nutrient rich food, we think it’s important to let your body’s signals guide your portions. Don’t feel you need to eat the amount you would normally eat in a regular day.

FIRST MEAL
Spinach Salad

As a first meal during your eating window, a hearty spinach salad can offer you a quick nutrient boost and a good dose of protein. Assemble several large fresh spinach leaves, slices of a large or extra large DHA-enriched hardboiled egg, one to two strips worth of chopped nitrate-free bacon, a small chopped tomato and a few rings of red onion. Mix up a quick vinaigrette with a tablespoon of olive oil, a splash of white balsamic vinegar, a quarter teaspoon of minced chive and salt and pepper to taste.

OPTIONAL SNACK
Blueberries and Pears with Greek Style Yogurt

If you’re up for a small snack, consider a small handful of blueberries and a few slices of ripe pear. Add a dollop of Greek-style yogurt and some ground flaxseed.

SECOND MEAL
Pan Cooked Steak with Parsley and Oregano Pesto Sauce

Finely chop 1 clove of garlic, ½ cup fresh parsley, leaves from five or so stems of fresh oregano, and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Add 1 ½-2 tablespoons of olive oil and give one last whirl in the food processor to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over high. Cook a small to very small grass-fed beef steak 4 to 5 minutes on each side depending on thickness. Move steak to heated dish and tent with foil to retain heat. The juices will redistribute during resting. Warm pesto and drizzle over steak before serving.

Sautéed Vegetables

Slice ½ of a small green pepper, a ¼ of a white onion, and 2-3 mushrooms. In skillet used for steak (feel free to deglaze the pan with a good splash of red wine.), sauté above vegetables for five or so minutes until softened and browned. Add a couple small tomatoes for an additional minute. Serve with steak right away and enjoy.

stu_spivack, Baha’i Views / Flitzy Phoebe, sassyradish, taminsea, adactio Flickr Photos (CC)

Further Reading:

Eat This Today, Feel Better Tomorrow Installment 1, 2, 3

Posted: Diet, Health, Health Challenges, How To, Nutrition, Recipes

How To: Intermittent Fasting16

Lunch

After the great discussion last week following the 1 Meal vs. 3 Meals news post, we thought it was a great opportunity to follow up and delve into the nitty gritty of IF. Practically speaking, what does IF look like? Today we’d like to focus on the “window of eating,” a dimension of IF that got people talking last week.

Any brand of fasting can already seem a little daunting for the newcomer. (But for those whose impressions of fasting involve hunger strikes or gaunt figures sitting in meditation, we think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.) Reading about some options, and knowing your efforts will indeed be rewarded with true health benefits, makes the leap a little more inviting.

Let’s first put this on the table: there is no one way to do IF. The only real guideline is that, as always, the food you eat should be healthy. (It’s pretty clear how we choose to characterize that.) In addition to the substantial health benefits, the simplicity and flexibility are what draw people to IF.

As Mark said, he enjoys mixing it up beyond the use of one approach by missing meals naturally or on an unplanned basis in addition to full day fasts. Let your choice(s) fit with your personal/family schedule, natural rhythms, and your personality (some of us are meticulous planners and some are more spontaneous – “and that’s O.K.”). The point of IF is this: episodic deprivation takes your body “off the track” for a while and allows systems to reinvigorate and recalibrate (also known as up-regulating and/or down-regulating gene expression). Check out Mark’s previous post on IF for more info on the research and nifty benefits of fasting.

Here are a few ways to IF (in unofficial terms):

Skipped Meal:
As Mark alludes to in his comment in the 1/3 meals post, he likes to miss meals naturally or on an unplanned basis. When we listen to our bodies rather than blindly follow routine we find we’re not always hungry when mealtime comes around. Let yourself skip a meal when this happens, or plan a meal skip during a convenient time.

Condensed Eating Window:
As shown in the comments from last week’s post, this is a popular option. The day’s food intake is condensed within a set number of hours, often somewhere between four and seven hours. The timing of this window varies depending on the individual’s schedule and preferences. The time since you prior meal or until you next day’s meal becomes the fasting period.

Early and Late:
For some, this option is more easily managed than the condensed eating window. The day’s food intake and nutrients are balanced between an early meal and later afternoon/early evening meal.

Single Twenty-Four Fast:
Most people choose to have a normal dinner and then fast until the following evening. Others choose to extend the fast until the following morning. For many people, this can be a weekly routine. Others may integrate it on a monthly basis or as an occasional event based on their sense of progress/plateau.

Alternating Day Fast for Week (or more):
This approach is often credited with a deeper “cleansing” character. Some people do it once or twice a year. Others make a seasonal commitment. You can choose to drink only water or include teas/small amounts of juices during fasting days. On the alternate days, some people choose to eat normally, and some opt for reduced caloric intakes.

One tip: During your “window of eating,” however long or brief it is, don’t feel that you should eat more than you might be hungry for. It’s a unique opportunity to listen to your body’s signals. It also serves as a way to “prove” to your conscious brain that you can survive quite nicely on smaller amounts of food and that you don’t need to “make up” for those temporarily lost calories. Of course, eating according to the Primal Blueprint at all times whether fasting or not means that you are constantly refining your fat-burning skills. This, in turn, means that you are not so dependent upon regular meals to sustain normal blood sugar levels, physical energy and mental acuity.

Interested in trying IF for the first time? We’ll highlight the “condensed eating window” approach (one option among many) to get you started. This approach, particularly with a fairly extended window, is very doable and can seem less daunting as you get started. Choose your own timing and length of window based on your schedule and preferences. If you can’t decide, you can consider condensing your eating between the hours of eleven and 5:00 p.m. Look for a corresponding IF menu in this week’s installment of “Eat This Today, Feel Good Tomorrow” later on today.

Be sure to send your feedback. We’d love to hear your results!

*Florian Flickr Photo (CC)

Further Reading:

Modern Forager: My IF Success Story

Conditioning Research: IF Reduces Inflammation

Sponsor note:
This post was brought to you by the Damage Control Master Formula, independently proven as the most comprehensive high-potency antioxidant multivitamin available anywhere. With the highest antioxidant per dollar value and a complete anti-aging, stress, and cognition profile, the Master Formula is truly the only multivitamin supplement you will ever need. Toss out the drawers full of dozens of different supplements with questionable potency and efficacy and experience the proven Damage Control difference!

Posted: Diet, Health, Health Challenges, How To, Primal Health

3 Ways to Keep Exercise Fun and Rewarding - Variety, Variety, Variety4

Turn Your Next Workout on Its Head

They say variety is the spice of life, but it’s also pretty darn integral to exercise, both in terms of keeping your mind engaged in the activity at hand and ensuring that your dedication to exercise continues to pay off, be it in gains of physical strength, endurance, or simply just feeling good about your body.

On the mental front, variety in your exercise routine can be one of the most important predictors of adherence to exercise. To test this theory, researchers from the University of Florida assigned 114 people to one of three exercise programs; one where the type of exercise varied between workouts, a second where members were required to perform the same exercise at each workout, and a third where exercisers where left to their own devices in terms of schedule and exercise type. At the end of the eight week program, 53 participants had left the program, leaving 24 people in the first group, 22 in the second group and 15 in the third group. In addition, participants in the first group enjoyed their workout sessions 20 percent more than the members of the second group and 45 percent more than members of the third group.

Still need proof that changing up your routine is good for mental health? According to a 2005 study conducted by Johns Hopkins University researchers, changing up the types of exercise you do may reduce your risk of dementia, with those who participated in 4 or more activities exhibiting signs of dementia at less than half the rate of those who participated in one or fewer activities.

Now, let’s make like Jane Fonda and get physical (or at least talk about getting physical). The bottom line is that variety in both the type of exercise you do (be it anaerobic, aerobic, or strength training) as well as the mode you use to perform these activities (as in, whether you’re out running, biking, playing a pick-up game of hoops, etc), is important for physical gains. Specifically, using a variety of exercises and changing them frequently can keep your body from stagnating and help prevent - or breakthrough - a plateau as well as improve strength, endurance and overall performance.

Offering proof of this theory, a 2005 study in the Journal of Applied Physiology finds that performing only 2 weeks of interval sprint training - with participants performing bike sprints for 30 seconds, then either stopping or pedaling gently for four minutes - doubled endurance capacity during intense aerobic cycling in recreationally active individuals (in this case, fit and healthy college-age men and women). A control group who did not do any interval training, meanwhile, showed no improvement in endurance.

A second study, also in the Journal of Applied Physiology, found that two weeks of high-intensity aerobic interval training improves cardiovascular fitness as well as the body’s ability to burn fat, even during low- or moderate-intensity workouts in moderately active women. In addition, measure of the participant’s cardiovascular fitness improved by 13 % across the two week study period.

So how can you break free from your exercise rut? Take a tip from Mark, whose own fitness routine alternates between running (though not necessarily long distances), bike rides and resistance training with free weights, and activities that range from hiking and yoga to snowboarding and playing sports.

However, it should be noted that when transitioning to a new routine, you should proceed with caution. When training for the 2005 New York Marathon, even Lance Armstrong, seven-time Tour de France winner, admitted that he had to transition slowly and that his running routine had “been harder physically than [he] expected.”

But adding new activities can be a breeze if you follow these simple tricks:

* Start out slow and take it easy. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so don’t put the pressure on yourself to master a sport or new activity in the same period - these things take time!

* Used to biking 800 miles a week like Lance? Than you’ll be surprised to know that his longest run was just 13 miles about a month out from the race. The bottom line? Keep your intensity and your duration lower in new activities than you would in your regular ones. Doing so will allow your mind and your body the time to adapt to the sport!

* The saying “there’s no point in doing it if you don’t do it well,” definitely applies to new activities. Learn the rules, the skills and the techniques necessary to successfully carry out the activity safely and effectively.

* View your new activity as a supplement to your regular routine until you have mastered it, then begin experimenting ways to fit it into your existing routine, be it splitting your workouts to mix the old and the new, varying your workouts day-by-day or however else you choose to mix it up!

* Don’t force it. Some activities you’re going to enjoy and some you’re going to find just aren’t for you. Certainly give it a try - sometimes we initially dislike activities because we can’t do them (and we all know how damaging a bruised ego can be!) - but if it’s still not jiving, pick up and move on because there are certainly plenty of other activities out there!

* Remember that adding variety to your workout routine doesn’t have to mean changing the activities you like. Like long distance running? Try changing it up by adding sprint intervals. Love free weights? Try using resistance bands to challenge new muscles or just change up the order in which you perform your exercises - you’ll be amazed at the differences even little changes can make!

How do you keep your workouts fresh and exciting? Drop us a line.

obo-bobolina Flickr Photo (CC)

Further Reading:

CrossFit - Every Heard of It?

Dear Mark: Chronic Cardio

Ririan Project: 18 Ways to Supercharge a Boring Gym Session

Technorati Tags: exercise variety, workout routine

Posted: Fitness, Health, Health Challenges, Men's Health, Personal Improvement, Women's Health

Extreme Exercise: How to Get a Great Workout without Leaving City Limits13

Don’t try this at home, kids!

Think working out in a city has to mean sucking exhaust while you jog on the side of a busy street? Not with these fun, and at times, extreme-alternative workouts.

Parkour:
Remember the scene in “Casino Royale” where 007 himself scales a crane and frantically tries to catch what we initially assume is some kind of extreme gymnast? Turns out that villain was actually a parkour artist (or traceur as they are also referred to). Founded by a guy called David Belle, parkour is all about accessing the seemingly inaccessible, usually to escape or evade pursuers (or dapper English gentlemen depending on your situation). Unlike free runners (more on that later) traceurs try to clear objects - be it barrels, bars, bollards or other barriers - in the simplest and most efficient method possible. Incorporate parkour type moves into your own workout by heading to a “quieter” edge of the city and dodging, jumping or vaulting over barriers and other obstacles, swinging through railings and climbing up low brick walls (just don’t scare the neighbors!)

Free Running:
If parkour is the nitty-gritty, rough-and-tumble mode of transport for escape artists, free running is the more graceful, aesthetically pleasing method of moving for the show-off in all of us. Although incredibly similar to parkour (with free running actually developed by a childhood friend of David Belle!) free running’s philosophy centers around the idea of getting from point A to point B using free-flowing movements that make you happy (and that look pretty). When out for a jog, add some free-running elements by leaping (arms outstretched) over cracks in the road, swinging yourself around lamp poles or just adding the odd cartwheel or forward rollover (we warned you in advance it could get extreme!)

Buildering:
You understand parkour, you sort of understand free running, now it’s time to master buildering! Often referred to as urban climbing, structuring and stegophily, buildering is defined as any act of scaling or climbing on the outside of buildings or other artificial structures. Buildering can also sometimes be confused with a separate “sport” known as bouldering, whereby buildings are still scaled, but this time in smaller, bite-size sections. Although not technically legal uhhh…anywhere, you can borrow from this physical art by jumping on and off low building ledges, scaling stairs two-at-a-time or jumping off porches and decks (just don’t get caught!)

Indoor Rock Climbing:
If you like the idea of buildering, but aren’t willing to break the law, perhaps indoor rock climbing is the sport for you! Giving you a welcome reprieve from the weight room, rock climbing is not only a full-body strength workout but, depending on your skill and the course you choose, can also increase flexibility and provide a great cardiovascular workout. To learn more about rock climbing events in your city visit usaclimbing.net.

Skateboarding:
Think skateboarding is best reserved for trouble-making teens? Although it does convey a certain risk element - what with the high likelihood of incurring cuts, bruises and maybe the odd broken bone - skateboarding, to its credit, is a great cardiovascular workout and can also help improve coordination and balance. If you’re thinking of giving it a whirl, make like Tony Hawk (the God of skateboarding) and invest in a helmet and some serious knee and elbow pads. Also, if you’re a beginner, stay away from skate parks or other uneven surfaces - where studies suggest more than half of skateboard-related injuries take place - and opt for smooth surfaces such as quiet roads and large pavements.

Ultimate Frisbee:
Once the primary workout of greasy frat boys the nation over, Ultimate Frisbee has developed somewhat of a cult-following, with games-and even leagues-cropping up in the parks of most major towns and cities. Developed as sort of a combination of a classic Frisbee game and the most violent of football/rugby matches - depending, of course, on who you are playing with - Ultimate Frisbee is played on a rectangular shaped field with “endzones” at either end. The Frisbee is then tossed between players - who must stand still upon catching the Frisbee and have only 10 seconds to pass it along - with the goal of completing a pass in the defenses’ end zone. Although fouls can be called for physical contact, the games do tend to get a little rough so please plan accordingly (as in stock up on bandaids and have a medical professional on speed-dial!)

These extreme sports aren’t for everyone. As you can imagine after watching the videos, they are a great way to induce serious bodily harm, so be warned. With that said we think that, at the very least, they can provide motivation to be creative with your physical activity. What do you think? Do you prefer to keep adjectives like “ultimate” and “extreme” away from your exercise routine?

LexnGer Flickr Photo (CC)

Further Reading:

10 Workouts That Don’t Feel Like Workouts

Shoes are so passé.

Tips on Practicing Safety for Extreme Sports

Technorati Tags: extreme sports, parkour, free-running, ultimate frisbee, skateboarding, buildering, indoor rock climbing

Posted: Fitness, Health, Health Challenges, Videos