Shelbyville Times –  “Easter, except for Halloween, is the biggest holiday of the year for candy,” said Keith Kantor, a nutritionist and co-author of the children’s book “The Green Box League of Nutritious Justice.”

That can be a bad thing — especially since Easter-themed events may stretch out over a week or more.

Overconsumption of sugar by kids can lead to moodiness and hyperactivity — a sugar high can be misdiagnosed as ADHD, said Kantor. But it also ties in with a growing problem of obesity, leading to diabetes, among Americans. A child who is overweight is three times more likely to be an overweight adult. It’s been estimated that 40 percent of the U.S. population will either be diabetic or pre-diabetic by 2020.

“We have to start with the young people” to address this, said Kantor.

Easter should be a fun and celebratory time, but it doesn’t have to be all about chocolate, said Kantor.

“Kids, believe it or not, don’t care about just the candy,” he said. “They care about getting something.”

An Easter basket can be filled with inexpensive toys — plastic jewelry, temporary tattoos, a jump rope, bubble solution, stickers.

“It doesn’t have to be all just candy,” said Kantor.

“Easter should be a fun time,” said Kantor. While Kantor himself is Jewish, he said it’s healthier for Christians to emphasize the religious aspects of the holiday over the commercial ones.

“The stores made it all about candy,” said Kantor.

And by spending time with your children during the holiday weekend, playing with them…READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.

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.