MindWare Blog – Brainy Toys for Kids of All Ages

“Eat your broccoli; it’s brain food,” is a common theme my kids hear every time I serve them a dark green vegetable. I know that broccoli alone won’t make my kids smarter, but I call vegetables “protective food”— low in fat, high in vitamins and boosts blood flow to the brain.

Maintaining a healthy weight has many advantages, both intellectually and socially. Studies show that overweight children struggle more often through social situations and may feel more excluded and lonely than their skinnier counterparts.

And the best way to maintain a healthy weight is—yes, you guessed it—to eat healthy. But for our kids, this is harder than it sounds. Foods high in saturated fats and cholesterol have become mainstays in our diet. Along with a sedentary lifestyle, the future could look grim for our offspring.

It is up to us parents to help kids take charge of a healthy life. Here are some facts (and real-life examples) that may be helpful in your quest to teach your kids a healthier way of life:

-       Eating healthy foods encourages good blood flow to the brain (e.g. You can be smarter than the kids next door if you just eat your kale!)

-       Heavy adults are twice as likely to develop dementia in later life (e.g. Aunt Susan was always heavy and, unfortunately, she now has to move to an Alzheimer’s patient care facility.)

-       High blood pressure and high cholesterol are most often caused by poor food choices and a sedentary lifestyle (e.g. I know you want to be a rock star, but if you have a stroke caused by high blood pressure, I can guarantee you that you won’t become famous.)

It takes firm and solid commitments to influence our long-term health. These commitments to healthy food choices combined with regular exercise will help our kids feel good and look great when they celebrate their imminent and future successes, whether on a rock-n-roll stage or in a high-powered corner office.