Very simply, they’re not less tolerant. It may seem they are, however, it’s more likely;

it’s no longer a home made cake after school or dinner. Generally kids are exposed to WAY more sugar & simple carbs which affect mood, blood sugars etc.
the sugar being used is much sweeter than it was 20 – 30 years ago. Todays highly processed high fructose corn syrup is sweeter than ‘traditional’ sugar originating from sugar cane AND so children have a ‘sweeter’ palate.
the sweet treats often come packaged up with additives, preservatives, colours and flavourings, giving them a shelf life of … FOREVER, which they didn’t used to have nearly as much.
childrens’ digestive systems are impaired e.g. leaky gut, low stomach acid, pathogenic infections (dysbiosis & microbiome imbalance), making them more sensitive to these foods. If your child suffers from an autoimmune condition, allergy or digestive issues, they will have one of these digestive complaints.
Their desire for sugar is heightened because it’s added to most packaged foods. So their palate is ‘sweeter’ and if they have microbiome imbalance they can also crave sweetness.
The sweeteners used e.g. high fructose corn syrup, white sugar are cheaper to use, so used more liberally to induce purchase and desire BUT are more highly refined and higher in fructose, which is more debilitating to the body, especially for our little ones.

And traditionally our sweet palate would’ve been satisfied with the natural sweetness found in leaves and tubers, a long way from the sweetness we’ve got used to today!

Simply, sugar is not what it used to be when we were growing up. I know it can be difficult for grandparents and others to understand this when they just want to give their grand children a little treat!

So to avoid a sugar overdose try this;

Explain to friends and family members why sugar is not what it used to be. They may or may not understand, that’s okay.
Trade. If the kids collect way too many chocolates than you’re comfortable with, try trading for a family experience they’d love, a visit to the toy shop or similar.
Start new Easter traditions e.g. we always bought the kids new winter PJs or try including jokes and fun things in the easter hunt as well as the easter eggs.

Otherwise enjoy the special time to spend with friends and family and when you’re back in a routine, you can get back on track and importantly, focus on strengthening their immunity! My mini ebook, ‘Why kids get sick’ is a perfect place to start.

Download it on my site for free.

To transform your wellbeing and your families, from the inside out, simply and naturally contact me here https://www.katebarnes.com.au/contact/ for an initial discussion on what’s right for you or let’s start with a healthy aging review and assessment.

Here’s a quick recipe round up of some of my popular meals, snacks and treats for the Easter break. They’re all gluten free, low in sugar, can be dairy free and most importantly, DELICIOUS.

If you’re wanting to get creative in the kitchen or looking for some quick and easy, yummy healthy recipe ideas, these are for you. Happy Easter & happy holidays!

Quick and Easy Chocolate Gifts & Treats;

easy home made chocolate

home made (everything) rocky road

best ever chocolate brownie cake

chocolate pistacchio and prune truffles

chocolate crackles – An oldie but a goodie!

Granola

A Crunchy Granola (great for travelling and if you need a healthy breakfast or snack on the go)!

Beef

Slow cooked cinnamon beef cheeks with cauliflower cream

Fish

Lemongrass, Garlic & Coconut Fish Curry

Eggs

A feastive one pan breakfast (perfect for brunch or a lazy morning).

I recently went to a public talk, ‘Bring back the fat’ hosted by Christine Cronau, Nutritionist and Author, who transformed her weight and health on a high fat, low carb diet 18 years ago.

Her presentation shared case studies, benefits and more on adopting a ketogenic diet (high fat, adequate protein, low carb), which I’ll share more on at another time.

It was the speaker after the break, Dr Aseem Malhotrah, a cardiologist, author, researcher and professor of evidence-based medicine that I was curious to hear from.

Dr Aseem is well credentialised. A Cardiologist, Harley Street Roc Private, The King’s Fund – Trustee, Academy of Medical Royal Colleges – Choosing Wisely Steering Group, Advisor National Obesity Forum. He’s written numerous health and academic articles for medical journals and mainstream media on topics related to obesity, heart disease and health policy. He’s also won a number of awards for his work and was named in the Sunday Times Debrett’s list in 2016 as one of the most influential people in science and medicine in the UK.

His opening slide read;

‘The demonizing of saturated fat and cholesterol and the mass prescription of statins; the biggest mistake in the history of medicine?”

It got my attention.

Here’s a brief overview of what he shared;

On the state of the medical system.

Approximately 10% of published literature is clinically relevant and of high quality – ‘a lot of information helping decisions being made (on improving patient outcomes) is falling far short of what’s needed for good patient outcomes’… ‘Medicine is not an exact science. It is an art of probability’.
He shared the below diagram saying of the 3 areas feeding into improving patient outcomes, very little time is given to ‘patient values and expectations’ with the majority of evidence coming from the other two areas. However as noted, in regard to the ‘best available clinical evidence’ only 10% is clinically relevant or of high quality? Implying it is difficult to improve patient outcomes relying on this model.
Dr Aseem proposes a more consultative approach with his patients while at the same time digging deeper into the ‘clinical evidence’.

On predicting heart disease or Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).

‘Cholesterol levels in most cases are ineffective in predicting heart disease’. The most important factor / risk for heart attacks is insulin resistance. Fyi insulin resistance is when the cells become resistant to insulin and unable to use it as effectively, leading to high blood sugar.
‘The paradigm (for testing for heart disease) needs to shift from cholesterol (analysis) to sugar and insulin resistance (analysis).”

Other indicators for heart disease testing include a;

calcium score
fasting glucose
stress test

On the effectiveness of statins to manage CAD…

His research showed that statin drugs do not change mortality rates.
1 in 3 people suffer side effects of statins including muscle weakness, erectile dysfunction, type 2 diabetes and memory loss.
While side effects may not be felt immediately, they can develop with time and be experienced years later. The older the patient is, then the more vulnerable they become.
When fasting insulin goes down, commonly triglycerides go down.
In his view statins should be prescribed when there is cardiovascular risk or heart disease diagnosed, not for high cholesterol alone.
While undertaking a healthier lifestyle, side effects of taking statins can be reversed within just two weeks of stopping them.
There are no withdrawal symptoms experienced when no longer taking statins.
He advised, when patients are given all the evidence, he commonly sees medication reduced.
The question was asked, ‘why do statins reduce cholesterol’. His response was they reduce inflammation. When inflammation is reduced, cholesterol commonly reduces.

As you’d assume, Dr Aseem is not without critics.

After the publication of an article in the British Medical Journal, ‘Saturated fat is not the major issue’ his findings were questioned by an Oxford University Professor – Sir Rory Collins. It prompted an independent review, which found Dr Aseems findings valid. However, the review also found that the Professors University research was financially conflicted due to payments made to his department and to the University.

Concluding comments.

His concluding comment, ‘science is not enough. Opposition of invested interests is what’s needed’.
‘Saturated fat does not clog the arteries. Coronary heart disease is a chronic inflammatory condition, the risk of which can be effectively reduced from healthy lifestyle interventions e.g. exercise, good food, sleep and stress management’.
People are potentially being placed on medication when they are not ill.
Taking a pill diverts the more imperative need to take personal responsibility for an individuals’ wellbeing.
And this quote by Dr Christiaan Barnard, Cardiac Surgeon and Dr of worlds first heart transplant,‘I’ve saved the lives of 150 people with heart transplantations. If I had focused on preventive medicine earlier, I would have saved 150 million’

Although why wait to see a Doctor when healthier lifestyle choices can be made today?

What to do?

Consult with your health practitioner and assess how healthy your lifestyle is.
Take positive action toward a lifestyle that promotes health and wellbeing. Find a buddy or family member or a coach and do it together. It’s better together.
Addin great foods for heart health including healthy fats and foods that are in their most natural and whole form.
Reduce or eliminate inflammatory foods e.g. foods that are highly processed and refined.
Sleep well and get to bed early so you make better choices and your body has a chance to rest and repair and manage stress.
Listen to your body and the quiet (or noisy) clues it’s giving you.

If his research has peaked your interest I encourage you to do your own research, ask questions and become informed about this important topic and where the money (funding) trails lead.

References & resources;

https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/bjsports/51/15/1111.full.pdf

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC380256/

http://doctoraseem.com/the-great-statins-divide/

Dr Ross Walker https://medium.com/@drrosswalker/statin-use-in-older-people-16a000be0634

Journal, Summer 2017, Nurturing Therapies for Heart Disease

‘saturated fat is not the major issue’, British Medical Journal

http://www.thebigfatfix.com

This week the ABC published an article, ‘What’s in our kids lunch boxes’?

It’s been preying on my mind.

Schools from differing socio-economic backgrounds suburbs were visited in the same city in Victoria to see what was inside childrens’ lunch boxes.

What they found isn’t too surprising but was deeply concerning (see images below).

Briefly, here’s what they found;

‘Not a lot of difference’ in terms of healthiness between the suburbs according to nutritionist Mandy Sacher. I don’t agree. The lunch boxes in Broadmeadow (lower socio economic suburb) included more sugar, processed and refined foods, potentially causing a greater impact on childrens digestion, hormones, brain function and blood sugars, setting them up for behavioural issues, lower immunity, developmental delays, irritability, mood swings and more.
Most kids, independent of school or suburb, went to school with a bread sandwich as their main lunch item with Vegemite or ham being the preferred fillings in the wealthier suburb, compared to Nutella in the poorer suburb.
Overall, ‘the sample suggests the challenge of packing an interesting and nutritious lunch box is universal’.
The emphasis given in the article was that not enough good quality protein is being given to children. I also saw that not enough healthy fats (needed by every cell in every body), nutrients generally and fibre (for feeding a healthy microbiome) are sadly lacking.

Yes, it may be just a snapshot of one city and a couple of schools at a point in time, but I think it’s probably a snapshot of society generally.

Lunch is only one meal in the day. Does it really matter? YES. It makes up a third of our daily food intake.

And we know for many, breakfast is not going to be too different in terms of the few (if any) nutrients growing children are getting i.e. a bowl of highly processed cereal with milk or toast and vegemite! Kids get home from school tired and hungry (needing real food i.e. nutrients), and make poorer choices around homework, relationships and more. Then let’s assume dinner is meat and some veg – awesome. But… It’s NOT enough.

Snapshot of lunch boxes from Broadmeadows.

snapshot of lunch boxes from Brighton (read the article for lunch box details)

In summary.

Children are growing, developing and DEMANDING every type of nutrient for their brains, hormones, immunity and so much more and they’re not getting enough of what they need – no matter where they live.

The ABC’s “universal snapshot” shows in images that our children are under nourished i.e. they are potentially ‘malnourished’. Sandwiches and packet foods are not enough.

How can they be expected to perform at school and in life when the fuel tank is empty?

I fear for this generation and the generation to follow them. It makes me sad.

I know you’re aware of this and doing great things in your home to nourish yourself and your families but… in todays world to get kids eating a good lunch is hard. Even for the healthiest of us, including me – irrespective of wealth.

After making lunch boxes for 10 years (where did that time go) – I know!

And now as they’ve got older and their peers are so much more influential in their choices, it’s harder again.

It’s one thing to know what makes a good nutritious lunchbox, another getting kids to eat it especially when their buddies are opening up packets of ‘food’ and munching on vegemite sandwiches, and ‘no-one wants to swap their lunch with you!’ OR they just won’t eat the healthy ‘stuff’ and are fussy eaters. It’s easy to relent. But that’s like saying to them it’s ‘okay’ and it’s not. Every now and again is okay – not most of the time.

Which is WHY as parents and carers, it’s important to stay strong in encouraging our children to eat well in their early years.

I think of it as my gift to them and that one-day, they’re going to be grateful for all those ‘weird’ foods in their lunch boxes (fingers crossed).

In saying that, an unhealthy lunch box is not about lazy, un-financial or ill-informed parenting.

It’s a symptom…

It’s a symptom of deeper issues at play;

After a while kids will crave simple carbohydrates and sweet foods usually found in packets laden with additives and refined sugars.
Kids palates and microbiomechanges making it more likely for them to make the unhealthier choice and refuse their veggies or meat.
When children are deficient in key nutrients for example, the texture of some foods is physically very hard for them to tolerate and yet they’re labelled as ‘fussy eaters’.
Life is full. We feel we have little time to prepare healthy lunch boxes.
It’s hard to know what truly is healthy for our kids and what’s not?
A healthy lunch box isn’t always seen as a priority in society.
Packet food for breakfast and lunch boxes is big business. And their marketing campaigns are hard to ignore and don’t have our wellbeing in their best interest.
As parents, carers, teachers and leaders we are not being taught or shown what healthyis. Traditionally this knowledge was originally passed down from one generation to the next – and we learnt it all before the ‘a-pill-for-an-ill’ mentality took over. As women and men moved from the home (farm) into the workforce and convenience foods became a ‘saviour’, this fundamental knowledge has been lost.
Generally, eating good, nutrient rich food isn’t seen as a priority or a necessity.

Making time for preparing good food now is better than making time for sick kids, doctors, specialists, medication and the slippery slope into auto immunity and chronic illness later.

Perhaps by bringing awareness to these deeper issues / thoughts it will make it easier next time you’re preparing lunch boxes in the heat of the busy morning.

And if your children refuse to eat your healthy lunch box, don’t give up, there is a good reason for it. Rather find someone you know who understands the deeper issues or contact me for a complementary initial discussion to hear more about how we will get them enjoying a wide variety of foods and so much more.

It’s a complex issue. Strong social leaders like chef Pete Evans and also Sarah Wilson (I Quit Sugar), with massive international audiences, have tried to change what ‘healthy’ looks like in our schools at a government level, with only limited success.

But is it totally up to the government? Of course not – we need to be aware of the deeper issues and take responsibility ourselves.

It starts in our homes, at our tables and in our hearts.

Think about real food – clean, natural, real …

Let’s bring back healthy lunches.

And for simple ideas on how to save time and pack a healthy lunch box, with loads of nourishing, delicious recipes, a reminder to check out my ‘Lunch box rescue’ ebook.

As a Mother, Scientist, Business Owner and Wife I understand how full life is. It is my passion to work with women to simplify the overwhelm we often carry in managing it all while still nourishing our families and ourselves. Simply. Naturally. Contact me here for a complementary call. Why wait?