Health & Beauty Tips For A Better Life

Protein

Try and serve at least two portions of fish a week because fish are a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals and they are low in saturated fat. Fish also contain omega 3 fatty acids. Protein is necessary for tissue building and repair. But there is no foundation to support the common belief that eating excessive amounts of protein will help build bigger or stronger muscles. Children aged between six and 10 years of aged need about 0.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight. On a daily basis, that comes to about 24 to 28 grams of protein. Drinking two to three glasses of milk plus a small serving of pulses at lunch and dinner easily makes for this amount. Spread out protein intake over the course of the day. Too much protein can lead to dehydration since the kidneys will pull water from the boby to help dilute the excess nitrogen (a breakdown product of protein) in the urine. For this reason, steer away from protein powders and amino acid supplements.

Fat

Fat is important to your growing child in order to help his body absorb vitamins A, D, E and K, and to supply essential fatty acids. When children need lots of energy. Very active children need lots of energy and will need moderate amounts of fat in their diet to meet that need. Fat is also essential for hormone production and sources of fat usually contain increased iron, protein and calcium. But this does not mean that you can allow your child to go overboard on junk and sources high in saturated fats (these should make up no more than 10 per cent of his total calorie intake). Fats should be primarily mono-unsaturated or polyunsaturated and should make up no more than 30 per cent of his total calorie intake.

Fluids

Growing children have a greater body surface area compared to their body weight. This means that children should drink more fluids as compared to adults. Liquids are the most importants part of an active child’s diet. Fluid is important to prevent over heating and dehydration. muscles tend to heat up when a child is physically active and extra fluid is needed to maintain the blood volume so that circulating fluid can reach into muscles and carry the heat away to the skin. The heat released primarily by sweating. Sweating, without replacement fluids, can lead to dehydration. One of the first symptoms of dehydration is fatigue. Children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of fluid imbalance. This is because they don’t handle heat well they get hotter during exercise and their hearts have a lower blood output. Unfortunately for young children, thirst is not a good indicator of hydration needs. Be sure your child drinks water before, during and after he plays any game that may be physically challenging. The best fluid replacement is water. But if your child is more apt to drink it if it is flavoured, than a sports drink or a diluted juice would work. A full strength juice or juice drink has too concentrated a source of carbohydrates (sugars) which are not needed by the body. juicy fruits like watermelon, tomatoes, grapes and oranges are good choices.