Dr. Kantor recently answered questions from Impact Magazine about combating childhood obesity and his new book, The Green Box League of Nutritious Justice. This is a preview to the upcoming article.
With obesity and diabetes at near epidemic levels in Canada and America, we must start with the children to fix the problem. 75% of all 
chronic disease is nutrition related but we have to start with the children and their families. That is exactly what “The Green Box League of Nutritious Justice” does, with beautiful color characters, detailed food descriptions, fun stories, recipes, exercises and great health information, that captivates the children and involves the entire family.
5 top tips for teaching your children about fitness and nutrition:
- Practice what you preach. Children are the best observers and they can spot a hypocrite. The “do as I say not as I do” is no way to inspire a child to be active and eat healthy foods. Make small lifestyle changes with your children. Regular park trips or walks for exercise, and counting fruit and vegetables servings daily are two simple things to do to get started.
- Clean house. Get rid of temptation, humans especially children are innately lazy, if they have a choice between processed cookies and peeling an orange they are going to go for the cookies, simply because they are easy to grab. Make healthy food easy to grab, keep a fruit bowel on the counter and lay out raw nuts in clear jars instead of cookies or candy. Avoid “diet” foods, the chemicals in diet drinks and food products are just as bad as the higher calorie, sugar, salty version of the food. Cookies and soda are still cookies and soda, no matter how many calories are in the product.
- Cook with your children. Nutrition contributes to over 70% of overall health. Learning how to prepare delicious healthy meals is a life skill that can prevent obesity later on in life. This will keep your children away from fast food options when they move out and are responsible for all of their own meals. Prepare a shopping list, weekly menu with your children and have them help you prepare the meals when possible in the kitchen.
- Introduce them to healthy environments. Take your children with you to the gym and if they are too young to workout with you check them in at the child center, the healthy environment of a health club is great exposure to healthy environment. Register for a 5k or 1 mile fun run at a local race. If your children see that exercise is in your daily routine and it can be fun they will look forward to the gym trips or local races.
- Focus on what they can have rather then what they cannot have. Deprivation only makes children want something more. Focus on how many servings of fruit and vegetables your child needs to consume daily rather than cutting out all of their favorite foods and making them feel like they have to starve. If your child gets adequate protein, fat, and complex carbohydrates they will not physically crave the sugar or salty processed foods that you want them to stay away from.
Healthy Recipe from the new book, The Green Box League of Nutritious Justice:
Berry Muffins
Ingredients:
2 c gluten free flour (amaranth or all-purpose gluten free flour)
¾ c raw sugar or honey
½ teaspoon baking powder, aluminum free
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup fresh or frozen blueberries, organic if possible
¼ c sliced strawberries, fresh or frozen, organic if possible
¼ c raspberries, fresh or frozen, and organic if possible
¾ cup full-fat buttermilk, organic if possible
3 Tablespoons melted butter, organic if possible (and from grass fed cows if possible)
1 large egg, cage free, beaten
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In large bowl, sift together all dry ingredients
- In separate bowl, mix buttermilk, egg, butter, and fruit
- With rubber spatula, gently fold the egg/fruit mixture in dry ingredients
- Place paper muffin cups in tin, and evenly spoon mixture into tin/muffin cups
- Bake for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from tin and cool on wire rack; serve.
This is a preview to an article that will be featured in Impact Magazine. Check back for the full article.
Dr. Kantor’s greatly anticipated new children’s book, The Green Box League of Nutritious Justice, is now available. Be sure to order this highly reviewed book, filled with healthy living tips for the whole family. A portion of the proceeds benefit the Children’s Miracle Network.
