What I learned this week: The oil spill that has happened in the gulf coast will affect us all. I can't imagine how it will hurt the ecosystem. There was once again a failure in the regulatory policies. Someone convinced the regulators they didn't need to do their job. First the banks, then the miners (who lost their lives) now this spill. We the people need to put some teeth into regulating those who care little for the "public" and more about their pockets. We need business to operate in an open and free market, but someone has to watch out for the little guys. Ask yourself who are the little guys?
What I am grateful for: Living in a country that eventually holds people accountable for their mistakes.
This Sunday Dr. John Byrne tackles Brain Fitness on Living Smart at 3pm. (repeats Friday at 10pm) What I found fascinating about this show is that physical fitness seems to have a tremendous impact on brain fitness. I used to think that it was purely intellectual excercise that would help my brain. I soon found out the best thing for it was excercise and diet PLUS intellectual excercises. Guess what. I am moving a lot more now!
Childhood Obesity. I have done several shows on this topic and frankly, moving should be just part of the equation. Here are my Living Smart tips
1. Get Sugars and Flours out of our schools and our homes. Once a week kids can eat junk, but not every day.
2. Moving is not enough but you have to start somewhere. "Skinny girls do the stairs" I say skinny girls and boys move a lot! but if you eat junk like sugar and processed foods, no excercise in the world will help the core issues (WHAT YOU ARE FEEDING THE KIDS AND WHAT THE KIDS ARE EATING)
3. If a child does not have a balanced life, he or she won't have a balanced diet. Are the kids communicating with a caring adult? Is someone bullying them at school? Do they feel rejected? Do they have a space to enjoy nature? Do they talk to their parents and siblings?
Spirituality plays a role in what we put in our mouths.
4. Turn the TV off, the cell phone, ipod, ipad and whatever has a keyboard off at least an hour a day and listen to music or talk to someone you love or hug someone. WE NEED HUMAN CONTACT. I think we are stuffing ourselves because we have a void and so do our children.
5. Don't criticize your child. If you want them to lose weight, eat healthy with them and most importantly excercise with them. Excercise helps people bond. AT least once a week make an effort to walk or ride a bike or run with your child.
6. Releasing weight does not happen with diets, it happens with lifestyle changes. It is a long term commitment, sort of like marriage. You will have good days and bad days and so will your children, but you have to be committed to a healthy life in the long term. FOCUS ON HEALTH not on Weight. and soon enough the weight will start coming off.
7. Have someone check on you every week. You can also check on your child once a week. Do it together, see what magic happens.
8. Be patient with yourself and your child. This is a lifetime journey but it can be lots of fun. But like all journeys, you can get lost once in a while but you have to keep trying to get yourself back on the road. GOOD LUCK!
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