November 5

Simple tips for parents!

Health

Did you know? Statistics show a depressing picture of the physical and mental well-being of children:  

  • 1 in 5 children currently suffer from a mental disorder
  • the number of children with attention deficit disorder has risen by 43%
  • adolescent depression has increased by 37% in the last decade and a half
  • suicide (!) rates have doubled among children aged 10-14

What is at the root of the problem?

According to experts, the reason behind these terrible figures is nothing less than the current over-complicated, overwhelmed and artificial childhood: an age in which children live in an unnatural environment, surrounded by flashing electronic devices, at a frantic pace and with unhealthy eating, sleeping and leisure habits.

How do we stop this process? How can we create a simpler and calmer childhood for our children? What can be the solution?

As a mother of seven, I still look back fondly on the days when my children were growing up. The number one source of distraction, television, was not at all present in our home, and we didn't pile toys on them ad nauseam. So, we got our children playing with each other and making their own toys with incredible ingenuity. It was important for us to enjoy our meals together, and there was no soda or snacks in our home. Our kids were outdoors a lot: cycling, running, climbing trees...

But even if we limit the issue to nutrition, it is worth introducing some good habits. Kim John Payne has a whole chapter on nutrition in his book Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids.

In three simple steps, I would summarise what I think is a relatively easy best practice:

1.

Get children involved in the preparation process. Baking and cooking together is a great opportunity for uninterrupted togetherness and joyful preparation.

2.

Insist on a relaxed, shared meal! It's been shown that the more often a family eats together, the more likely children are to learn well, to eat their fruits and vegetables, and the less likely they are to develop eating disorders.

3.

Place great importance on food, but simplify the flavours, make the food more natural! It is worthwhile to break up the rhythm of a hectic day with a small family ceremony, the lighting of a candle, and some peaceful conversation. Thus, our togetherness can be a celebration of everyday life.

But this "great importance given to food" does not mean a complicated, artifical, and synthetic world of flavours that makes the tongue go numb, so the real flavours no longer register. Instead of the glossy shelves of the modern food industry, let's choose from nature's bountiful basket of goodies!

Of course, InnoFit products and our nutritional philosophy are the best way to do this.

It's never too late to get your child's immune system in tip-top shape in order to keep him or her far away from the most common diseases. If he is already active in the community (kindergarten, school), it puts extra stress on him, and the risk of infection is inevitably higher. That's why InnoFit Child, Purfit and Orifit are great choices.

InnoFit tip: You can teach even a very young child to make their own fruit yoghurt. All you need is 1 natural yoghurt + 1 stick of Purfit or Orifit!

May you enjoy happy and healthy days!

Erzsébet Mihalikné Krémer


Health educator and creator of the InnoFit product family