Back to school diet

Reboot your child’s diet to revive from vacations

In today’s world having a child who eats sensibly and does not fuss about food is simply a miracle as meals majorly constitute junk food. We are slowly becoming a nation of junk food addicts as that’s what is on our child’s plate, indoctrinating our youth into this extremely hazardous existence.

They are the unwitting victims of our microbiota-harming lifestyle leading to a diseased individual and nation. Most parents try to cut down kitchen time by making one-dish- meals.

Pastas, casseroles, frankies, etc, are a few example where the use of vegetables are minimum. We really need to understand that healthy food leads to a healthy body, mind and a healthy nation and the future will be brighter for all.

Parents want their children to excel in life and the key is optimum health. The secret, dear parent, to ensure that your child excels in life rather than become diseased and size XL, is in the food you make them eat. Consume foods from plants and not from a plant. (Factory)

It is vital to note that plant-based foods contain nutrients that prevent diseases and are used to manufacture brain chemicals that enhance memory, concentration, and reaction time.

Unfortunately a lot of us are consuming more and more caloric dense, nutrient dead industrialised and processed food assaulting the mind body and soul. Simply shift to food that boosts immunity and reboots your brain.

Carbohydrates are the main source of fuel for energy, found abundantly in vegetables. In India, we have a host of local and seasonal vegetables.

Add on our spices and cows ghee to make them tasty as well as healing and ditch the crazy sauces whose contents are packed with chemicals.

The brain requires glucose constantly but not from white sugars, sodas, biscuit, chocolates and sweets. Just don’t skip the grain though have it in small amounts to supply the glucose needed by the mind to function.

We don’t need the western world to endorse a food for us to consume or devour their worst like colas and refined flour found in noodles, pastas and biscuits.

Amaranth (rajghira) is a classic example that we suddenly decided to add to our diet when the West went gaga over it, endorsing “it’s for your best”.

Register that we have Bajri, jowar, rajghira wheat, brown rice, black rice and red rice. We are spoilt for choices with superior grain choices the list can go on just add it to your child’s plate.

Add good quality vegetarian protein foods to your diet. It enhances the brain's production of dopamine making one sharper. Combined with vegetable cow’s ghee, and the multitude of our grains your child’s brain health will revive.

Go nuts on nuts. Walnuts, sesame seeds, coconut or oily fish are wonder foods for the brain as they are especially rich in omega-3 fatty acid as well as saturated fat.

About 60 per cent of the brain’s solid matter is made of fats therefore good quality fats are needed to constantly refresh brain cells.

Add on a seasonal fruit daily, it satisfies the sweet craving increasing your nutrient quotient.Go organic as foods consisting of colours, chemicals and pesticides disrupt our immunity and deplete our health increasing obesity, mood swings, and diseases.

Increase your leafy green food like spinach, fenugreek, and coriander. Iron deficiency causes poor attention span and affects learning ability. Studies show that poor academic performance in children is due to lack of anemia. Iron is needed to carry oxygen to brain cells and used to make brain neurotransmitters.

Having school age children means that our house hold is a revolving door of runny noses and scratchy throats. Eating a nutritious diet and probiotics foods can help limit the number of illness and minimise their duration. As important as limiting exposure to pathogens is, so is supplementing the body with beneficial bacteria.

Right nutrition is therefore extremely important as it improves mental clarity, performance. The percentile rises juvenile delinquency falls and overall well being improves. And we have sharper, brighter young individuals and the present and future is brighter for all of us.