Opening Statement:
Since birth I’ve had my fair share of problems with nutrition, but I try every day to eat a healthy balanced diet, stay away from fast foods as much as possible, and remain cautious on my sugar intake. Although I have not acquired a taste for many green vegetables, I do eat the ones that I do like as much as possible. Because of anxiety and stress my diet can become compromised on any given day or week, but I try my best to rebound and get back on track as soon as possible. There is no doubt that eating healthy foods, exercising, getting good sleep and rest is the key to good health.
About the Awareness:
Global Child Nutrition Month, takes place during April every year and is one of the most important international events. Simply put, children all over the world are our future. We must make sure that we do what we can while they are young to help ensure they become intelligent, cultured, good-natured human beings that will not only continue to grow a society we built for them but also further develop it and make it modern, all-encompassing, diverse, and inclusive for all. What better way to achieve this is to make sure our children in America and around the world are fed, looked after, and given the right resources to live nourished and healthy lives.
History Of Global Child Nutrition Month:
1. Given the fact that kids today face such a significant responsibility, essentially building the future for humankind, we need to make sure that, globally, communities are raising strong, capable kids through sound education systems. These systems should provide them with a safe harbor and feed them nutritious food.
2. This is where the Global Child Nutrition Foundation (G.C.N.F.) comes in. It was established in 2006 to improve access to nutritional food for the world’s schoolchildren. The G.C.N.F. also assists governments worldwide in developing locally-sourced national school meal programs, developing markets for farmers, creating opportunities for female entrepreneurs, and, ultimately, becoming self-sufficient from international aid.
3. April was selected as the month to which international awareness around children’s health and nutrition would be dedicated. The most crucial goal of Global Child Nutrition Month is to address and bring awareness to malnutrition, and encourage countries worldwide to eradicate this inhumane act in which children are not being provided with the adequate amount of nutrition to grow, learn, and flourish.
4. Often, malnutrition is considered a problem only in second- or third-world countries, or in war-torn countries where the population far outnumbers the available resources. While it is more prevalent in these developing countries, it is also a problem in countries like the United States, France, and the United Kingdom. According to their vision statement, the Global Child Nutrition Foundation envisions a future in which school meals sustainably nourish all children, allowing them, their families, communities, and nations to thrive.
Global Child Nutrition Month Timeline:
1. 1975 - Shifting the Focus
a. U.S. Congress encourages the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to support breastfeeding and maternal and child nutrition.
2. 1985 - Let Our Children Live
a. The Child Survival Initiative, established by the USAID, brings a tenfold increase in funding for vitamin A.
3. 2005 - Africa in Need
a. The World Health Organization puts together a consultation on nutrition and HIV/AIDS in Africa.
4. 2006 - For the Children
a. The Global Child Nutrition Foundation is established in Seattle in the United States.
5. 2021 - Learning and Growing
a. The Global Child Nutrition Foundation publishes a report that shows that more kids get fed when school meals are marked as national budget items.
How To Observe Global Child Nutrition Month:
1. Learn about nutrition
a. Even as adults, we don’t necessarily grasp the importance of nutrition and how we should be incorporating proper levels of it in our daily lives. There are many resources and helpful, illustrative tools out there, like the food nutrition pyramid, that is even used in schools to teach kids about food groups and how much of each group you should get to maintain a healthy, balanced diet. So, do some research, read up on how different foods are categorized, or you can even do a short online course.
2. Show kids that food can be fun
a. As we all know, kids can be picky eaters, and getting them to eat from different food groups can be tricky. So, involve them in the food-making process, and let them play with their food within reason and away from sharp knives. Involving kids in selecting produce, prepping meals, and creating delicious dishes can undoubtedly do wonders for their nutrition as they will want to partake in the fun of creating and eating the food that is made. This way, they also learn about nutrition.
3. Learn to cook
a. We live in a world where time is money, and people work two or even three jobs to care for their families. But there is light at the end of the tunnel. There are thousands of easy recipes online that require a minimum number of ingredients and basic cooking knowledge that can feed families and still taste good. So, try taking some cooking classes, or gift your spouse with some lessons to make sure someone in the household is responsible for preparing healthy meals.
Why Global Child Nutrition Month Is Important
1. Healthy families emerge
a. Through encouraging families to better provide for their children, healthier approaches to food and cooking are achieved. Think about a household that focuses on providing children with nutritional meals and enough brain foods like fruit and veggies; chances are, the parents are also eating healthily, or at least will be inspired to start doing so to support their kids. This means healthier communities will also emerge.
2. It feeds and inspires children
a. When children are taken care of, given a roof over their head, and provided with good, nutritional food, they will have more energy and the ability to focus on their education. Doing schoolwork and homework requires a lot of stamina, insight, and energy, so it is essential to bring awareness to the causes of eradicating malnutrition. Children become inspired and want to learn when they don’t have growling tummies or food-related diseases.
3. It actively encourages development and improvement
a. An international call to ensure that kids worldwide are well looked after and fed inspires countries and communities to work harder to provide their children with the necessary resources to thrive. It starts at home, flows through schools, and becomes part of our daily lives. That is why it is crucial to bring awareness to and observe international months like Global Child Nutrition Month.
5 Proven Facts About Nutrition
1. Veggies are very good for you
a. Vegetables are extremely rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants, making them essential to your daily food intake.
2. Refined carbohydrates are the enemy
a. These include grains that are harmful to your health, and eating them may result in rapid spikes in blood sugar and insulin.
3. Lifestyle changes outdo dieting
a. Forget dieting; adopting a healthy lifestyle is the only way to ensure long-term weight loss and improved health for life.
4. Unprocessed food always wins
a. When food is processed, many of the beneficial nutrients get removed, which is why seeking out unprocessed food should be a priority.
5. Added sugar is bad for your kids
a. It has been proven that added sugar contains empty calories and is thought to be a significant cause of diseases.
Closing Statement:
It is very true that learning how to cook, shopping for good and nutritious foods, becoming diligent on what you eat will greatly help everyone to eat healthier, stay healthy, and live better lives. I’ve now been taught to read ingredients for anything canned or frozen. Buying fresh vegetables, fruit, chicken, beef, etc. is very important because prepackaged foods have added salt, sugar, and other nasty added ingredients. A suggestion for children and young adults who have limited mobility is Chair Pose Yoga: Chair Pose is a strength-building yoga pose that kids of all ages can benefit from. Children stretch their upper body, as they sit in their yoga chairs.
Source of Information: Various Google Searches and Personal Experiences
Until Next Week, Stay Safe and Well!
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