Since my son aged 7 years old, he have been on diet. This was rejected by his grandparents, because people in my country, considered "diet" as an attempt to lose weight. No, I didn’t want to make my son skinny. I want him to be a smart healthy kid, with balance activities and good rest, also avoid restlessness and anxiety that is the result of bad eating habit.

I often read that today’s food lack of nutrition, containing a lots of sugar and preservatives, and too much processed food. That’s true! And they have bad effects on child’s brain and entire body. I can mention couples of side effects:

Sugar: trigger hyperactivity, as food for tumor and cancer cells, trigger diabetes.
Food preservatives: skin irritations, hives, flushing, hypotension, abdominal pain, diarrhea, asthmatic breathing, cancer, muscle weakness, bloody stools and fainting.
Gluten: gut inflammatory, heart disease, cancer.
Salt: high blood pressure, osteoporosis, stomach cancer.

I am not going to talk about food scientifically here. I am not that expert. But I like to share about my son’s diet.

First, I avoid too much sugar. In one day, he allowed to take 3 spoon of sugar in his drink (usually I divide into 2 times tea) and one small candy. I believe he also got sugar, from his meal and snack. I allowing my son to drink soft drink (that rich with sugar) only once a month.

Second, I use fresh meat instead of meat with preservatives. I only allowed my son eat kind of meat with preservatives twice a week with a little portion, for example only one sausage for the whole day.

Third, I limit the amount of salt everyday. I also avoid processed food with salt, for example salty dried fish.

Fourth, only two slice cakes a day to avoid excessive gluten. I used to cook Indonesian traditional snack, such as kue lapis, vegetables spring rolls, etc. They are almost gluten free snack.

Fifth, more fresh vegetables and fruits. His need of sugar can be met from fruits. And fruity sugar is not refined sugar, it is good for his health. I also gave him raw vegetables juice twice a week, rich with fiber, vitamines, and vegetable enzymes.

Sixth, I avoid give him a lot of rice. This is a bad habit of people in my country, they eat too much rice, it will rise the risk of diabetes and obesity.

Seventh, here are my son’s meal portion: rice or another carb resources as big as his fist, protein as big as his palm, vegetables and fruits as much as he likes. He can eat a lots of vegetables and fruits, that’s good for his health.

That’s all! I keep pretend this diet until now, hoping this can bring awesome health for him. Of course, different kid have different nutrition needs. Match your kid’s diet with their nutritional needs to reach the best physiological development.

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