A healthy breakfast for your kids is important to kick-start your child’s day.. It is also important for the brain development and academic performance of a kid.

A healthy breakfast is important to kick-start your child’s day. It is also important for the brain development and academic performance of a kid.

Kids who eat breakfast tend to make healthier choices when it comes to food in general and has more energy to burn, making them more likely to take part in different activities. Those who do not eat breakfast tend to become hungry by mid-morning and as a result, snack or overeat. This leads to weight issues. So, breakfast essentially helps keep your child’s weight in check.

Idlis with sambar or just plain phulkas with curd may be boring for kids. So, adding a simple twist to the traditional Indian breakfast recipes will not only be flavorful but also visually appealing to your kids.

Here is a list of 5 yummy and healthy Indian breakfast recipes for your kids to relish. Keep scrolling! 

1. Oats Idly

Place a bowl of gooey oatmeal in front of the kid and you will get an “eww” or “yuck” in return! When kids don’t like oatmeal, you give them oats idly, a healthy and tasty (slightly modified) vegetarian dish from the South.

Being low in calories, it is an ideal choice for calorie-conscious. Oats are rich in proteins, minerals, vitamins and, fiber, which adds to their nutritive value without compromising on their deliciousness.

2. Bread Upma

When you think of bread, you only think of sandwiches or toast. But when you think Indian, you think of bread up! It’s a good way of using leftover bread and makes a good substitute for Rava upma.

3. Vegetable Masala Dosa

Dosas are delicious Indian pancakes, only that they are not sweet. Like idlis, you eat the dosas with chutneys or potato curry. This masala dosa recipe tells you how you can bring the goodness of veggies to the breakfast table. You can add to the nutritive value of this recipe by substituting potato with paneer, carrots capsicums, etc.

4. Rawa Dosa

Rawa dosa is an instant Indian breakfast recipe, which means it is not fermented and you can whip up the batter with just a handful of ingredients and make the dosa in less than an hour! This is another irresistible option for your kid since it’s tasty, crispy and, crunchy.

5. Stuffed Paratha

Getting your child to eat the veggies with roti (Indian bread) can be a challenging task! So in comes the paratha. Stuffed paratha is an Indian veg breakfast recipe, which is bread and vegetables rolled into one! You can stuff the paratha with potatoes, cauliflower, leafy vegetables, beetroot, and carrots.

6. Broken Wheat, Oats, and Apple Porridge

Oatmeal by itself is not very appealing. So make a sweet porridge out of it by adding broken wheat (Dalia) and fruit. We chose apples, but you can add bananas, berries, and raisins as well if your kid likes them. This recipe is a combo of two power-packed bowls of cereal, prepared as a delicious meal. Kids will love its creamy and fruity flavor.

Admit it! Just reading these recipes is making your mouth water! So why delay? Try these easy and tasty Indian breakfast recipes. We know that your kids will love them! Some of these recipes can also be altered to suit your tastes.

Listen to your body

Webster’s Dictionary defines a craving as “an intense, urgent, or abnormal desire or longing.” Synonyms include yearning, hankering, wish, want, and lust. However, just because you’re having a craving or want something sweet doesn’t mean you have to eat sugar. Or even pop a sugar replacement, such as a piece of fruit — on impulse. Take a minute to understand what’s really going on in your body. Do you have a headache? Are you stressed out? Do you feel physical hunger? Are you bored? Do you need an energy boost? Or do you really want a sweet treat?

Buy yourself some time

Drink a glass of water, take five deep breaths, or go for a short walk. If you are truly hungry, it’s okay to reach for a snack. Your best bet for stamping out a craving may be to have a snack that includes protein or a source of healthy fat. Prepping your own at the beginning of the week will enable you to be proactive. It will also prevent trips to the vending machine for sugar-filled packaged foods.

Pay attention to patterns

If you notice that a sugar craving hits you at 3 p.m. daily without fail. That’s a good sign you should add a protein-filled snack at this time to power through the day. It will make you feel better instantly. It also will set you up for a better evening with fewer cravings around bedtime.

Balance your meals

Make sure every meal you eat (including breakfast and lunch!) contains protein, veggies, or other healthy carbs and healthy fats. This will keep you fuller for longer and stabilize your blood sugar.

Identify your faves

Figure out what you love to eat so that you feel satisfied — not deprived — at the end of a meal. It might help to keep it simple and pick two go-to breakfasts, two go-to lunches, and two go-to dinners and have those ingredients on hand so you can stay consistent.

Spice things up

We sometimes get stuck in an eating rut sticking to the same simple meals every day. We know they’re “safe”. But as they say, variety is the spice of life — and spice is a savior when you’re swapping out sugar. Some of the most unique flavors are derived from easily accessible spices that don’t contain any added sugar. For example, red pepper and cinnamon.

Be adventurous

While it helps to have enjoyable staples to turn to, getting curious in the kitchen can provide a fun outlet and instill healthy eating habits. Explore recipes, eat some new vegetables and fruits you’ve never tried before or combine different ingredients to create new dishes. By switching up what you’re eating from day to day, you might find a new delicious dish that gets you excited about dinner.

Dodge sugar pushers

While most people will support your get-healthy mission, there will be a few who try to derail your efforts. At a birthday or holiday dinner, you might notice your mom trying to persuade you to eat dessert — or your friends eye-rolling because you turned down a cocktail. Even your spouse can morph into a sugar pusher when he or she wants to hit that all-you-can-eat pasta joint.

Cravings for junk food are a common reason that people ditch their healthy eating plans. They can lead to unhealthy eating habits and be the biggest obstacle to weight loss.

Have you ever found yourself craving a second helping of dessert after a filling dinner, or finishing a sharing-size bag of crisps or chocolate? You are not alone! It can be incredibly hard with some foods to know when to say stop.

What is it that makes certain foods seemingly irresistible? What keeps us coming back for more, even when we know we’re full? What makes us binge on foods we know are bad for us?

Key points:

Resisting junk food cravings is not a case of willpower.

Junk foods are specially engineered to target our pleasure receptors in the brain.

How junk food is engineered to be ‘just right’

Ever noticed that no matter how full you feel after a meal, you can always make room for dessert? This is most likely down to a psychological phenomenon called ‘sensory-specific satiety’.

As we consume more of a particular flavour, our taste buds slowly get more and more tired of it, and  When presented with a new flavour, we get more reward from it, and so we continue eating. We can see this concept in action at an all-you-eat buffet; we’re likely to eat more because there is a variety of flavours to keep our taste buds interested!

However, our taste system can be tricked when salt, fat, and sugar are carefully combined in expertly measured amounts to be ‘just right’. At this point, we keep coming back for more, even when our bodies are trying to tell us to stop because we keep experiencing pleasure.

Key points:

The more we eat one type of food the less rewarding we find the taste.

Foods that hit the bliss point override the brain’s natural ‘stop’ signal and keep providing us with pleasure.

This leads to us wanting more and more of that enticing food.

The science behind the bliss point

So what’s going on when we consume foods engineered like this? Why can’t we get enough?

Our bodies respond to foods that hit the bliss point by triggering reward pathways in our brain and . Dopamine is a neurotransmitter (chemical messenger) in the brain that is involved with feelings of euphoria, bliss, motivation, and pleasure.

The result of this is a feeling of pleasure, that acts like a high, and we keep on coming back for more. This leads to a perpetual cycle of cravings, eating more junk, weight gain, and more cravings!

In a  on the topic, psychiatrist Judson Brewer points out that this cycle is built upon context-dependent memory. Our brain remembers what actions make us feel good, such as eating chocolate. Then when we feel bad for whatever reason, our brain says ‘eating chocolate might help’, and we are driven to eat chocolate. After we repeat this process enough, it becomes an automatic habit.

Our bodies respond to foods that hit the bliss point by triggering reward pathways in our brain and encouraging dopamine signalling.

Our brain remembers what foods make us feel good and triggers a craving for these foods when we feel bad.

There is nothing wrong with enjoying food, but binging as a result of craving, for any reason, is usually down to the bliss point.

What foods are the main culprits?

You might be surprised about which foods are the culprits. Some obvious bliss-point items include:

Cakes

Biscuits

Doughnuts

Ice cream

Crisps

Muffins

Chocolate

Sweets

However, it’s more than just the obvious foods. Next time you pick up a jar of tomato sauce at the supermarket, stop to take a look at the ingredients and see just how much sugar and salt are hidden inside. Less obvious bliss-point foods include:

Sauces

Dressings

Dips

Soups

Bread

Cereal bars

Surprisingly, all these products can contain that longed-for trio of salt, sugar, and fat that keeps us coming back for more.

Key points:

Avoiding the obvious foods, like cakes and biscuits, can help to reduce your future cravings for these foods.

Surprisingly, many unexpected foods have also been engineered to leave you wanting more.

Top tips to reduce junk food cravings

1) Break the habit

In the TED talk mentioned above, Judson Brewer explains that the best way to break a habit, like junk food eating, is to become aware of what is happening in your mind and body when we crave.

Rather than trying to ignore your cravings, try getting curious and recognising how you feel when you crave or eat a particular food. Understanding what happens when we eat junk food helps us to step back and become less interested in this habit.

Next time you have a craving for some junk food, getting curious about what’s happening (‘am I feeling sad, stressed, or hungry?’) will help you let the craving go. Then, repeating this process enough will help you break the habit of feeling compelled to eat from cravings. Consider finding other avenues for emotional release if you notice that you crave junk food when you are stressed or sad. Walking, music, or writing in a journal can all be great stress busters.

2) Eat junk food mindfully

Mindful eating can help us break habits while still enjoying junk food occasionally. This involves focusing solely on the taste and texture of the food you are eating and any sensations you feel in that present moment.

Occasionally consuming junk food is part of life. The key is to eat it free from distractions (e.g. not in front of the tv or at your desk at work) and enjoy it so that you feel satisfied without overeating it. Eating mindfully can help us tune into our internal hunger signals and prevent them from being overridden.

3) Build balanced meals

Building balanced meals can help us feel satisfied and reduce the risk of junk food cravings in between meals. Opt for:

Fresh vegetables, (e.g. spinach and peppers).

Unprocessed meat and fish (e.g. chicken or salmon).

Wholegrain carb options (e.g. brown rice or rye bread).

 is an example 7-day diet plan that is satisfying and focuses on balanced, healthy meals.

4) Be aware of bliss-point foods

Try to be aware of unexpected foods that we use every day (e.g. tomato sauce) which has also been engineered to have a bliss-point. Real food doesn’t need fussy engineering and fancy packaging to taste great. Try experimenting with making your food to replace shop bought ones with added sugars and salts.

For instance, you can easily make your tomato sauce using chopped tinned tomatoes, herbs, and garlic. Eating real food will not override hunger signals, nor overstimulate brain-reward systems, and still tastes delicious.

5) Sleep

Sleep is often overlooked when we discuss junk food cravings. However,  has demonstrated that the more sleep deprived we are, the more hungry we feel. On top of this, when we are tired we are much more likely to crave and eat energy dense, sugar, and fat filled junk foods as opposed to healthy snacks. Getting 8-9 hours of sleep, compared to 6-7 hours, can massively reduce the risk of junk food cravings.

Key points:

Being curious and mindful of what happens when we crave junk food, and how we feel when we eat it, can help us break the habit of craving.

Recognising bliss-point foods and building balanced meals can reduce the number of cravings we have for junk foods.

A lack of sleep increases our hunger levels and influences our food choices.

The debate over the health implications of red meat consumption refuses to die down.

It is loaded with vitamins and minerals that are essential for a healthful, balanced diet. However, there are several studies which establish red meat responsible for higher risk of cancer and other diseases.

What is it? How do we define that? It is a flesh that comes from mammalian muscle such as beef, lamb, pork, goat, veal, and mutton.

In recent years many of us have given up on red meat. There are just two reasons – higher health risks involved and availability of other options.

Vegan is now trending

The growing concern over animal welfare has turned many people as vegan. It seems that millions more of us are opting for plant-based foods over meat-based products. We believe that they are more healthful.

A number of studies have suggested that when it comes to health, a plant-based diet is the way to go. In December 2016, a position paper from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics claimed that a plant-based diet can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. That too by 62 percent. It can as well reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Cancer

When it comes to intake, cancer is perhaps the most well-established health implication.

The World Health Organization (WHO) published a report concluding that red meat is “probably carcinogenic to humans”. This means that there is some evidence that it can increase the risk of cancer.

It essentially means that there is sufficient evidence that processed meat intake increases cancer risk.

To reach these conclusions, the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Working Group reviewed more than 800 studies assessing the effects of red and processed meats on various types of cancer.

Kidney failure

Kidney failure – whereby the kidneys are no longer able to filter waste products and water from the blood. It is one of the biggest health concerns now.  Diabetes and high blood pressure are among the most common causes of kidney failure. Many studies have proved that red meat consumption increases the risk of both diabetes and high blood pressure.

A study published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. It concludes that a dose-dependent link between red meat consumption and risk of kidney failure. For example, participants who were in the highest 25 percent of red meat intake were found to have a 40 percent increased risk of kidney failure, compared with those in the lowest 25 percent.

Heart disease

An unhealthful diet, high in saturated fat and cholesterol, is a well-known risk factor for heart disease. A number of studies have suggested that it falls into that category. It raises the risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular conditions.

Also Read: Genes Versus Nutrition Imbalance

Harmful alcohol use is one of the world’s leading causes of illness, disability, and death. It is linked to over 200 diseases and injuries, resulting in 3.3 million deaths globally each year.1

Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to alcohol use disorders. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) — also known as alcoholism, alcohol abuse, and alcohol addiction — is a type of substance abuse.

It can damage your health, relationships, and well-being over time unless treated. Learning to prevent alcoholism can help you avoid consequences and reduce its impact on your life.

Before you take steps in alcohol prevention, you need to examine your current alcohol use. This will help you find out whether or not you have an alcohol problem.

Assessing Your Drinking Levels — How to Tell if You Drink Too Much

Take note of how many drinks you typically consume and how often you drink in a day, week, and month. If you drink excessively, then you may have an alcohol problem. These include:

Binge drinking — women who have 4 or more drinks or men who have 5 or more drinks in 2 hours.

High-intensity drinking — alcohol consumption that is 2 or more times than binge drinking levels.

Heavy drinking — women who have 3 or more drinks a day or at least 8 drinks per week or men who have 4 or more drinks a day or at least 15 drinks per week.

Heavy drinking, high-intensity drinking, and binge drinking are signs that you drink too much alcohol. Any type of alcohol use in pregnant women and adolescents below 21 is also considered excessive.4,5

How Can You Prevent Alcohol Abuse?

Drinking patterns vary depending on age, gender, culture, environment, and background. People’s behavior and attitude towards alcohol also change over time.

Since alcohol use varies and produces different effects on everyone, there is no single effective way to prevent alcoholism. Knowing how alcohol affects a person will help you determine which steps you can take.

Tips for Preventing Alcohol Abuse & Addiction in Adults

If you are struggling with alcohol, the following tips will help you create healthy drinking habits and prevent alcohol use disorder.

Drink moderately — or practice low-risk drinking

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend non-drinkers to abstain from alcohol completely. But for drinkers and people who want to start drinking, you can limit your alcohol consumption to 1 drink per day (in women) and 2 drinks per day (in men).8

Those who regularly consume alcohol may also practice low-risk drinking. This means limiting your intake to 3 drinks per day or 7 drinks per week (in women) and 4 drinks per day or 14 drinks per week (in men).

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), only 2 out of 100 people who drink within these limits develop alcohol use disorders.4

Be mindful of your alcohol consumption

Monitor your alcohol intake. Whether you are drinking alone or with the company of others, make sure that you drink within the recommended limits.

One way to do this is to alternate drinking with other activities. For instance, you can eat, talk with people, and drink non-alcoholic beverages like juice or soda.

Before you grab a drink, you also have to ask yourself why you are doing it. You should not drink alcohol if you feel sad or stressed, and have other negative emotions.

Drinking to cope with negative emotions will cause you to consume more alcohol than usual. This can lead to alcohol dependence and long-term alcohol abuse.9,10

Avoid triggers that make you want to drink

A trigger can be any place, person, object, or situation that gives you the urge to drink alcohol. Learning to recognize your triggers is important in alcohol prevention. Here are some ways you can avoid them:

Do not attend gatherings or celebrations where there is alcohol

Stay away from people that drink heavily or encourage you to drink

Instead of storing alcohol at home, replace them with non-alcoholic drinks and healthy foods

Try to avoid people and situations that remind you of a past trauma

Do not live in places that provide easy access to alcohol, such as near bars

Learn healthy coping mechanisms to prevent emotional drinking

How to Prevent Alcohol Abuse in Children and Teens

The main consequence of underage drinking is that it causes impulsive behavior. This often leads to an increased risk for accidents, injuries, sexual assault, alcohol overdose, and premature death.

As a parent or family member, here are some ways to prevent alcohol use in teenagers:

Encourage teens to feel confident about turning down alcohol

Speak openly and honestly about drinking and its risks

Establish boundaries on what will happen if a teen drinks

Monitor your alcohol at home so you can tell if they have been drinking

Do not allow them to go to parties without a chaperone

Set a rule that it is not acceptable to consume alcohol at home

Encourage healthy relationships with peers who do not drink

Set a good example with responsible alcohol consumption

Enroll your child in school facilities with alcohol prevention programs

Preventing Harmful Alcohol Use in Older People

Alcohol use disorders are less common in older adults. But with nearly half the elderly aged 65 and over still drinking, alcohol consumption is still associated with age-related risks.

Older people have a lower tolerance to alcohol. They can suffer from alcohol-related harms even if they drink within the recommended limits. It is important for family members to be involved in the process.

Here are ways you can reduce the harmful consequences of alcohol among the elderly:

Make sure they do not mix alcohol with over-the-counter and prescription drugs

If they have pre-existing health conditions, limit or stop their alcohol intake

Watch out for triggers that may cause them to drink excessively and give them support

Get Help for You or Your Loved One

Alcohol use disorder can affect anyone regardless of age. Knowing the early signs of alcoholism can help you prevent a full-blown alcohol addiction.

Some signs and symptoms of alcoholism include:

Drinking alcohol alone or hiding one’s drinking

Need to increase consumption to achieve the same effect

Decreasing appetite and gradual weight loss

Lack of personal hygiene

Decreasing function at work or school

Becoming angry when confronted about their alcohol misuse

If you experience these or know someone who does, do not hesitate to seek professional treatment advice. Doctors can help you explore harm reduction programs and assist with staging interventions if needed.

Eat healthy meals:

Your brain needs energy to work efficiently and for this you must have balanced diet with in between healthy snacks. The meals should contain foods which lead to mental alertness. These include foods like milk and milk products, sprouts, tofu, eggs, chicken, fish, healthy nuts in combination with healthy cereals like dalia, oats, quinoa, and whole wheat products.

Brain boosting foods include foods that improve memory and concentration like almond walnuts, fish, flaxseeds, banana, chick pea, spinach, broccoli etc. Avoid junk foods as they require added time and energy to digest. Keep yourself hydrated: Drink healthy beverages like milkshakes, fresh soups, lemonade, lassi, coconut water instead of aerated beverages. One or two cups of coffee or tea or dark chocolate can also be added in the diet as caffeine makes you alert and active, but avoid excess of it. Have at least 8-10 glasses of water per day.

Snack smartly:

Eat healthy snacks in between meals like protein bars, fresh fruits, peanuts, makhana and roasted chana etc. specially when you are studying till late at night. 

Sleep is important:

Good sleep is as good for your brain as food for body. Lack of sleep can interfere with learning ability, cause mood swings and compromise your immune system. Sleep for at least eight hours. 

Detox from electronic devices:

Avoid engaging in too many electronic devices and take out an hour everyday for some recreational activity to keep you happy and motivated.

Here are some helpful tips on how to meet the needs of a teen’s growing body.

We all have been in the phase where we couldn’t wait to grow up. Teenagers are looked upon by the kids younger to them. For younger kids, teenagers have the best life. But, like adults teenagers also deal with a lot of physical, mental, and emotional issues. Weight is one such issue that most teenagers have to deal with. And teenage girls are the main victims. 

Teenagers go through years of growth spurts, hormone shifts, and body adjustments. Menstruation is the biggest change that teenage girls go through. It is difficult for them to accept the fact that menstruation is now an unavoidable part of life. On top of that because of the hormonal changes they experience physical changes. Fluctuation in weight creates a big blow to teenager’s self-esteem.

Teenage girls gaining weight is very normal. There are some girls who shed this weight once they enter adulthood. But there are few who gain unnecessary weight which becomes difficult for them to lose. This unwanted weight gain affects the kid very deeply and they follow all the fad diets for the fastest results. If you have to manage your diet according to your school timings, here is a more suitable diet plan for school time.

Consume a Balanced diet:

Most teen girls are conscious about their weight and appearance and tend to reduce their calorie intake to maintain their weight. They start starving themselves to lose weight. Girls forget that along with maintaining the weight they are still in the growing age. They still need enough calories for proper growth and maintenance. A proper weight loss diet plan for teenage girls should consist of an adequate amount of carbohydrates, proteins, fats along with vitamins and minerals. Consume proper 2 – 3 big meals and 2 – 3 mid meals or healthy snacks.

Eat lots of fiber:

Include a variety of fiber in your diet. Consume whole fruits, vegetables, oats, quinoa, whole grain cereals, pulses, sprouts, and bran fortified foods. A minimum of 5 – 6 servings of foods and vegetables is a must in a day. These fulfill the need for fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Keep the proteins high:

High proteins are necessary for the growth and maintenance of the body. It boosts metabolism and aids weight loss. Include milk and products, egg, poultry, dals, pulses, sprouts, nuts, and seeds.

Stay Hydrated:

Avoid soda, aerated drinks, or any sugar-laden drinks. Replace these beverages with plain water. Try to refrain from drinking anything but water and unsweetened tea. Adequate water helps to burn excess fat. It has added value of clearing your skin issues that accompany PCOS. When you feel hungry between meals, try to consume water first. Your body might sometimes get confused between signals of thirst with hunger. Drinking ice cold water helps to increase your metabolism thereby reducing your weight.

Moderation is the key:

We all have food cravings. It would be very cruel if the teenager avoids something just to lose weight. It is ok to indulge in the high-calorie craving once in a while. Just key to healthy eating is “Eat everything in moderation”.

Do not follow a fad diet:

There is a lot of information available online. The girls might not be aware of the information available is authentic or just false info. It is always better to follow a balanced diet under the guidance of certified professionals.

Exercise more often:

Try to take up any outdoor sports activities like basketball, football, hockey, or cricket along with academics. Or else you can also go for walks or jog or swimming. Simple yoga is also beneficial for weight loss. At least 150 minutes in a week is required for appropriate weight loss.

Sleep sound:

Sound sleep helps your body and mind to relax. The body repairs itself while we sleep. There is a reduction in stress and also it burns calories.