GRAND Magazine - Summer 2023 - 29

healthy eating
don't let financial considerations impact your shopping
list. We will make up the difference. "
* Restock the pantry for your grandchildren and
How to get started
As grandparents, we share stories. We pass down
traditions. We should also be passing along nutritional
wisdom. Here's how I would approach this.
* Explain to parents why it's important to start
young. If you preload grandkids with good nutrition
when they are young, their minds and bodies will be
ready to handle things that happen later on.
* Be very diplomatic. Sometimes you just have to
say to their parents: " I love our grandchild so much!
I just want to prepare him/her to be strong in the
future. "
* Offer to handle some of the food costs. Parents
will tell me, " But Dr. Bill, healthy foods cost more! "
Enter you, the grandparents. You can say, " Honey,
29 GRAND Summer 2023
yourselves. Ship healthy ingredients to the kids. Or,
leave them behind after you've been watching the
grandkids. One of my favorite ingredients is Healthy
Heights Kidz Protein shake mixes, which are designed
by pediatricians, especially for kids. In addition to
shakes, they are great to use as an ingredient to add
important nutrients to other recipes. Not only do children
need more protein, but you do as well. The number-one
health concern of grandparents is frailty. You
need more protein for your own muscles and bones!
* Involve your grandkids in food preparation.
Our 4-year-old grandson loves to help me make
smoothies with Grow Daily shake mixes. He adds a
fistful of blueberries and kiwis, and he loves to scoop
the shake powder from the bag. You want to do things
with your grandchildren, not for your grandchildren.
When they are involved, they are more likely to want
to drink it or eat it.
* Be proactive. Help grandchildren learn cooking
skills. Encourage them to be active. Have conversations
about food. Post health reminders around the
house. We have tips you can download on our website.
Search " healthy reminders " on AskDrSears.com.
* Be a healthy role model. Foods that are low fat
or low carb are not good for children or adults. Serve
smart fats and smart carbs. Smart fats are things like
omega-3s from salmon that are good for the brain.
Smart carbs are the ones that have fiber.
* Teach your kids and grandkids about body
composition. BMI went out of favor 10 years ago!
Body composition - your muscle and bone mass,
and your body fat distribution - are far more important
than what the scale shows. If your grandchild is
big-boned and has big muscles, and the school tells
parents their BMI is too high, you should say, " Don't
worry. This child is blessed with a body type that
gives him/her large muscles and strong bones. " Waist
size is the number-one scientifically studied parameter
of health. If their waist isn't potbellied, and you
can't grab a big piece of flab on their belly, their scale
weight doesn't matter. We use the term 'lean'. That
means the right body composition for your genetic
body type.
What memories do you want your grandchildren
to have of you? Many will be about food. I still fondly
remember cooking with my grandpa. As important,
what do you want to leave for your grandchildren?
Teaching them healthy eating habits is an enduring
investment that will carry them through their entire
lives.
William Sears, M.D or " Dr. Bill " as
his " little patients " call him, has
been advising busy parents on
how to raise healthier families for
over 50 years. The father of eight
children, he and his wife Martha
have written more than 45
books including " The Healthiest
Kid in the Neighborhood, "
and hundreds of articles on
parenting, childcare, nutrition,
and healthy aging. He is the
co-founder of the Dr. Sears
Wellness Institute for training
health coaches, and he runs the
health and parenting website
AskDrSears.com

https://www.facebook.com/GRANDmagazine https://www.amazon.com/Healthiest-Kid-Neighborhood-Nutritional-Parenting/dp/0316060127 http://www.AskDrSears.com https://www.drsearswellnessinstitute.org/health-coach-certification/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwvqqwaii_wIVkNGGCh28Xwc7EAAYAiAAEgKWMPD_BwE https://www.askdrsears.com/

GRAND Magazine - Summer 2023

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