Mental Health Minute
Psychology, Education, & W ell-Being
Parents
Teachers
Children
Volume
#6
Erin Liebman
School Psychologist
LCPC
611 W. Briar Place
Suite #3
Chicago, IL 60657
(312) 339-8391
http://www.erinliebm an.com
liebm [email protected]
“Your m ind, em otions and body are instrum ents
and the way you align and tune them determ ines
how well you play life.” ~ Yogi Bhajan
Mind Body Connection
Great Books
Your Child's Weight:
Helping Without
Harming
Six-Point Plan: for
Raising Happy, Healthy
Children
Fitness Information for
Teens: Health Tips
About Exercise and
Active Lifestyles
There is no doubt that our body’s physical state
im pacts learning, em otional regulation,
m em ory, and executive functioning. Fam ilies
today are constantly on the go, leaving little
tim e for healthy m eals or physical activity. In
addition, jum ping rope, bike riding, and playing
at the park are now com peting with gam ing,
YouTube, and social m edia. Given the rising
rates of childhood obesity, it is evident who is
w inning. Parents have the power to change this
trajectory by helping their children develop
healthy lifestyles. This can be achieved by
teaching children about nutrition, involving
them in sports or recreational classes, and
setting appropriate lim its with screen tim e.
W hile none of this is easy, if w e do not take
steps to change our way of life, this generation
w ill see m ore health problem s, and a shorter
life span, as a result of our com placency.
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Brain Foods For Kids
It is no secret there is a correlation between diet and school performance. What children
eat impacts their learning, concentration, sleep, and behavior. With processed food
being easy to prepare, and pack, often children eat lots of sugars, carbohydrates, fats,
and oils. The following describes some basic “brain foods” that benefit all children.
Antioxidants:
Antioxidants protect the brain from normal wear and tear. You can find antioxidants in
most berries, and bright colored fruits. In addition, nuts and seeds are a good source of
Vitamin E, which is also an antioxidant.
Choline:
Choline is a vitamin that was recently identified by the National Academy of Science as a
necessary nutrient in daily meal plans. It can be found in foods such as eggs, yogurt,
beans, brussel sprouts, and broccoli. These foods help the brain communicate with the
rest of the body.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids:
Omega-3 fatty acids are not produced by the body, and need to be consumed in our diet.
They are essential for brain, and overall development. These can be found in a variety of
fish, enhanced dairy products, and enhanced grains. Look for labels that indicate the
addition of Omega-3 fatty acids.
Complex Carbohydrates:
Complex carbohydrates are crucial to brain functioning because they are the body’s fuel.
The body breaks down the glucose, and uses it for energy. These are different than
regular carbohydrates, which are high in sugar, causing the body to break down the
glucose very quickly, creating fast energy highs and lows. Examples of complex
carbohydrates include whole grain pastas, bread, rice, and foods high in fiber.
(webmed.com & whattoexpect.com)
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Physical Activity & the Brain
It has long been know n that there is a link
between physical activity, and children’s brain
developm ent. Here are som e quick, interesting,
facts…
•
Exercise increases blood flow to the
brain. Blood delivers oxygen and glucose
w hich is needed for heightened alertness
and focus.
•
According to researchers, exercise builds
new brain cells in the dentate gyrus
region of the brain, which is linked to
m em ory.
•
Exercise also stim ulates nerve growth,
and im proves short-term m em ory, reaction
tim e, and bolsters creativity.
•
Researchers at the University of Illinois
have linked exercise to the actual
physical shape of the brain, with fit
children evidencing larger basal ganglia.
This is responsible for m aintaining
attention and “executive control”.
•
The sam e study also found that fit
children have a bigger hippocam pus and
basal ganglia regions which foster better
com plex thinking.
•
In a 2007 study, 35 m inute treadm ill
sessions at 60-70% of m axim um heart
rate im proved cognitive flexibility, or the
ability of the brain to shift and problem
solve.
•
Stress can dam age children’s brains, and
engaging in exercise reduces stress;
thus, brings the brain and body to a place
of hom eostasis.
Online Resources
healthykids.nsw.gov.au
kidshealth.org
cdc.gov
healthychildren.org
eatright.org
m ayoclinic.org
(raisesmartkid.com)
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Great Activities for Kids
Cardiovascular Health:
•
Running
•
Inline skating
•
Soccer
•
Biking
•
Scooters (non-motorized)
•
Skateboarding
•
Basketball
•
Field Hockey
•
Pogo sticks
•
Rollerblading
•
Hockey
•
Speed skating
•
Home made obstacle course
Building Strength:
•
Climbing/swinging on playground
equipment
•
Tug of war
•
Gymnastics
•
Rock climbing
•
Swimming
•
Yoga
•
Skiing
•
Dancing
•
Jumping rope
•
Cheerleading
Increasing Flexibility:
•
Yoga
•
Martial Arts
•
Dance
•
Cheerleading
•
Gymnastics
•
Ice skating
•
Wrestling
•
Tennis
(playgroundprofessionals.com)
(kcci.com)
(kids-sports-activities.com)
(urmc.rochester.educ)
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Try to Avoid
•
Too m uch electronics
•
Not enough sleep
•
Eating too m uch junk
food
•
Eating out
•
Skipping breakfast
•
Heavy backpacks
•
Staying indoors
•
Driving w hen you can
w alk
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()
Tips for Parents
•
Get Active
o Set fam ily goals
o Add physical activity to new
places in the day
o Try to get your neighbors or
com m unity involved
•
Lim it Screen Tim e
o Children under 2 should not
have screen tim e
o School age children should
be lim ited to no m ore than 2
hours a day
•
Focus on Nutrition
o Have your children eat
breakfast daily
o Ask your children’s input
before prepping m eals
o Pack healthy snacks (fruits,
veggies, and yogurt)
o Try to create a m eal and
snack schedule
•
Keep a Positive Attitude
o Praise your children for
m aking healthy choices
o If you, or your children slip,
it is not the end of the w orld
o Healthy lifestyles take tim e
to develop, so be patient.
o W ork w ith your pediatrician
to set realistic weight goals
Statistics
•
•
•
Young people
between the ages
of 6 and 17
should
participate in at
least 60 m inutes
of physical
activity daily
At age 9, children
average three
hours of aerobic
activity on week
days and
weekends;
however, by age
15 it is only 49
m inutes on w eek
days and 35
m inutes on
weekends
In 2012, m ore
than 1/3 of
Am erican
children and
teens w ere
overweight or
obese
(childrenscoloragdo.org)
(NIH & CDC)
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