Energy drinks.They are everywhere and unfortunately you don’t have to be of age to purchase them at any local convenience store. But the effects of these portrayed “un-harmful” drinks are far from toxic for our bodies, especially when we are still growing and developing as children are. These drinks are labeled as natural or natural energy, but the amount is enough to put someone’s heart in over drive five times over and just because something is labeled “all natural” doesn’t mean it is always good for you. My suggestion is to steer clear, as an adult and as a child. The havoc on one’s nervous system, heart and brain is nothing shy of a mini heart attack or nervous system overload, because what comes up must come down. My suggestions try something that really is all natural without harmful side effects. Like Young Livings NingXia Red
Superfood drink, safe for kids of all ages and also acts as an anti-viral to help keep your immune system in check. Consider using essential oils in water to help keep you and your kids alert and also hydrated. 100% therapeutic oils like lemon, peppermint, citrus are good alternatives plus they act as immune building and also the peppermint doubles as an anti-inflammatory.
A bowl of cereal for a healthy breakfast. Now at one point everything was a whole grain, but once it’s been milled, bleached and then vitamins added back into it again, it is far from all natural and whole. Consider getting up a few minutes earlier and cooking on the stove whole oat oatmeal with a few raisins, cinnamon and honey for a bit of sweetness. Whole grains are not as much for energy as they are for keeping you full and mentally on par.
Pick up the protein. And not all proteins are created equal. There is soy, rice, vegan, and whey among others, so what do you choose? Firstly throw away all your soy based proteins, soy can mess with your hormonal system as an adult and can do the same in a young child, especially one going through puberty. Not to mention the slew of digestive issues that soy can cause in large quantities. If you are looking for a good protein bar look for labels that have ingredients you can read, and don’t be misled by the label on the bar, just because a bar has a healthy name doesn’t mean it’s healthy. And if you are considering adding a serving of protein to your smoothie for you and the kids, go for it.
Look for product s that is third party tested and will tell you where their ingredients come from. I was once at a trade show and a vendor was giving out whey protein ice cream (like a frozen protein drink) I ate a few bite and the next day had horrible diarrhea. And in conversation with the owner, he would not disclose where the ingredients came from; he would only say reputable U.S. sources. Well if they are so reputable then why can‘t you tell me. You should be ecstatic to tell me if they have such high standards. So long story short, read the labels, look for third party tested, hormone free, and companies that are willing to share where they source their product from.
Quick tips for healthy fuel:
Beef up breakfast with a protein smoothie, adding a little fruit, coconut flakes, maybe a bit of almond butter and blend.
Kids hooked on pancakes? Try a organic mix but add ground flax, sunflower seeds and a scoop of protein powder, and ditch the generic syrups and go for real maple syrup or honey. Eat the colors of the rainbow. Yep make it fun, can your kids eat ROYGBIV (artificial colors don’t count)? It is fun for young kids and a challenge for the older ones and as parents it might be a good idea to play along. And what you might realize is how little variety you have in your daily even weekly diet. And finally get your kids excited about dried nuts, berries, apples and even dehydrated veggies, let them mix and match, part of kids eating good foods is also about
empowering them to eat good foods and make the good choices. I am always telling my kids why we eat certain foods and why they are good for us. Food should be empowering for kids, and they should be encouraged daily to try new foods, because we are after all what we eat!