New Beginnings

12/22/2014

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Wow! What a year it's been. I love this time of year. I mean who doesn't, right? Most of us get to take well deserved holidays, spend time with our family and generally celebrate life. What's not to love? 

My absolute favourite thing to do this time of year is to reflect on all that I've achieved throughout the year and dream about my hopes and desires for the year ahead. 
This year I'm grateful for:
1.  All you amazing Nourishers who've joined the Nourished Beginnings community and for the opportunity to help many of you achieve health and wellness for your family. 
2. I'm grateful for being able to create awareness of the issue we have with food in our child care centres and that many centres have joined us in raising the bar in child care nutrition. 
3. But the thing I'm most grateful for? Being blessed with my beautiful, happy, healthy family. 

I encourage you to take this time to congratulate yourself on the positive steps you've made toward greater health. Creating health for your family is no quick fix. You will continue on your food journey for the rest of your life and the impact it has on your health is totally in your hands. As you start to think about 2015 and all the exciting plans you have, think about what your hopes are for the health of your family and what you can do to achieve your health goals.

Ask yourself these questions:
What support do you need to achieve these goals? 
What do you need to learn in order to reach that next level?  
What tools do you need to help you stay on track?

Remember that the Nourished Beginnings community are here to help you achieve your health goals. We wan't 2015 to be the year that you transform your food story with ease. We have some exciting thing's happening for 2015 to start your year on the path to health and healing and I can't wait to share them with you very soon. 

Have a fabulous Christmas and remember to continue to make healthy decisions when celebrating this holiday season (I promise, it is worth saying no to all those lollies for your kids just to avoid the crazy additive meltdown that goes with them!).

Yours in health,

Katie Harding
CEO, Nourished Beginnings





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The best time to start is now

12/16/2014

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Just start.

The thing about transforming the way you eat is that there never seems like a good time to start. Life is always too busy. 
Make breakfast, feed the kids, do the dishes, do the washing (only 4 loads to do today!), take the kids to the park, make lunch, do the dishes, take an hour to get the kids to sleep, continue with the washing...
With so much going on, do you really have time to think about the food you're eating? Not only are you too busy, you're also confused. With social media playing a major part in how you gather and digest information, you are constantly bombarded with 'the latest and greatest' diet trends. While some of this information can be a great resource, it can also be very confusing when you are just starting on your health food journey. 

When you see such diet trends, you might ask yourself:
'Is this the ONE diet that is going to change our lives?'
'Can we really achieve those amazing results?'
'Will my kids actually eat that food?'
'Can I really find the time to do this?'

By the time you've asked all these questions, you've given up before you've even begun because, well it's all just too hard and it probably won't work anyway. 

Let me tell you something - everyone starts at the beginning and there will always be someone doing it better than you. You don't need to change everything at once and no one starts out that way but the only way to achieve a healthy change is to start. Start with the things that you can easily control and go from there. And you know what? Starting this way will ensure greater success. Making little changes often will make the transition seem effortless. It will enable you the time needed to listen to your body and and really see those connections in your child's health and behavioural issues. 

One of the best ways to get started is to assess you families current diet and relationship to food. There is no point in only making a 'food change' if you don't yet understand your physical and emotional relationship with food. This is key if your family is to sustain any changes. You need to unlock these fundamental beliefs and decide as a family that changing not only the type of food you eat but also your beliefs around food is what will ensure your success.

So, no more excuses right? Even though Christmas is just around the corner, the sooner you get started the better. So if you haven't already, sign up for our mail list and grab your free 'Nourishing Families Handbook' which contains your ready to print family food journals. 
I know that writing down what you eat everyday can be a little confronting - I mean, you can't deny what you've had that day if you see it there in black and white! I cannot state enough, the importance of honesty here. Now is not the time to start 'eating healthy' just so it looks good in your journal. Now is the time to be honest with yourself and where your family is at with their relationship with food. After you have completed and assessed your journals then you can start making the changes that are specific to your needs. I promise, this exercise will be a real eye opener for you and once you really see your diet, there is no going back. 
Knowledge is power and you have the power to make a change that will forever benefit your family.

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JUST ANOTHER TANTRUM?

12/08/2014

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Let's talk toddler tantrums. You know, the one where you're at the shops and your child is bright red in the face and screaming as you try and negotiate your way out of it just to make it back to the safety of your car. And all you can feel are those penetrating stares from other shoppers ... not that you would know if they are actually staring because there's no way you're looking anyone in the face right now (but you can feel their judgement burning through the back of your head all the same). 

This time of year these scenes can become all too frequent, whether at the shops or in the home and with Christmas just around the corner and weekends filled with parties, late nights and party food galore, it's no wonder our kids are hyped up and beside themselves with excitement.  

But just how do you know if your child is experiencing a food related toddler tantrum (FRTT) or just acting their age? Let's look at 3 typical signs your child might be exhibiting if they are having a food related toddler tantrum:

1. They complain of a sore stomach shortly after eating 'party food' they wouldn't normally eat such as jelly, fairy bread, coloured icing etc.
2. They are easily upset and quite sensitive even 2-3 days post party. 
3. They are quick to cry, scream and lash out when they can normally be reasoned with.

While these may seem like normal toddler behaviours, what you are looking for are extremes. Rather than just putting it down to 'just one of those days', it's important to think about what could be causing it so that you can not only handle the situation properly, but also be prepared for future FRTT's.  

But what do you do if your child is experiencing FRTT's?
  • The first step is recognising that the behaviour is food related. Food journals are great for documenting food related behavioural issues. 
  • As hard as it is when you've had the day from hell with a FRTT, it's important to constantly remind yourself that this is the cause of their behaviour. Their behaviour is extreme and not the norm. Try and keep them calm and continue to reason with them.
  • Limit stimulation. If possible, keep activities calm and simple until the tantrum passes. Again, this can take a day or two.
  • And most importantly - Explain to your child why they are feel they way they do. Sit down with them and explain that we only eat those foods sometimes because they make our bodies feel unwell. 

As a health conscious parent myself, I find it hard to let my daughter eat whatever she likes when it comes to parties, knowing how it is going to affect her later. But I'm learning to let go and accept that I can't control everything. All we can do as health conscious parents is educate our children and fill them with nourishing food at home in the hope that they will go on to make healthy choices  throughout their lives. After all, it is their journey and your job to guide the way. 

Have you experienced a FRTT? What do you do when this happens? I would love to hear about your experiences! Please comment on the blog or on our Facebook page.  


Disclaimer:
The information on this page is general information and should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease. Do not use the information found on this page as a substitute for professional health care advice. Any information you find on this page or on external sites which are linked to on this page should be verified with your professional health care provider. Katie Harding does not make any representation or warranty (express or implied) as to the accuracy or completeness of the information set out on this page, and shall not have any liability for any misrepresentation (express or implied) contained in, or for any omissions from, the information on this page. This disclaimer of liability applies to any damages or injury whether based upon consumer law, negligence or any other cause of action.
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