Posts made in June 2019

Family Meditation

Have you tried Meditating with your child?
Research says, give it a go!

Some of the benefits include:

  • Teaches them how to take full, controlled breaths.
  • Promotes calmness and relaxation.
  • Improves their focus and attention span.
  • Enhances self-awareness.
  • Improves mood and energy level.
  • Promotes mental clarity.
  • Provides a positive experience for parent and child.

Why not give it a try? Check out our previous post on Meditation to help get you and your family started!  

Continue reading

Teen Nutrition: Potassium

🍌🍑🥦 Teen Nutrition Talk 🍅🥔🍠🌱

Why is Potassium so important?

Potassium is crucial for the function of several vital organs including the heart & kidneys. Potassium also plays a role in nerve transmission a process which occurs throughout the body consisting of a stimulation and a reaction.

How much Potassium is recommended per day for Teens?

  • Boys – 3,000 mg
  • Girls – 2,300 mg

Did you know there are many more plant- based sources of Potassium than just a banana? Here are some great sources of Potassium to include in your Teens meals!

  1. Fruit & Dried Fruit: Apricots, prunes, raisins, oranges & bananas
  2. Vegetables: acorn squash, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes & broccoli
  3. Beans & Legumes: Lentils, kidney beans, soybeans & nuts

Does your Teen like any of these foods?

Which items do you think you can add more of?

Source: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Potassium-Consumer/

Teen Nutrition: Vitamin C

Teen Nutrition Talk 
🍓🍊🍋🥭🥝🥦🥔🥬

Vitamin C has so many important roles in the human body!

  1. Antioxidant: Protects against free radical cell damage
  2. Wound healing: Makes the protein collagen wound repair
  3. Boosts Immune Function
  4. Increases absorption of plant-based iron

Daily Recommended Amount

  • Teen Boys: 75mg
  • Teen Girls: 65mg 

Great Food Sources to Provide Vitamin C for your Teen!

  1. Citrus Fruits: oranges, grapefruit
  2. Other Fruits: kiwi, mango, strawberries, cantaloupe,
  3. Vegetables: red & green bell peppers, tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, broccoli
  4. Beverages Fortified with Vitamin C- Check the nutrition panel to make sure Vitamin C was added!

Don’t Forget- Prolonged cooking and storage often decreases Vitamin C content. Eat these items raw, microwave or steam to receive the most Vitamin C! 

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-Consumer/

 

Meditation, getting started

Meditation. 

We all know we should do it. 

But why? 

And how do we get started? 

There are endless health benefits associated with regular meditation. 

Below are just a few great ones!

 

Meditation can reduce stress, control anxiety, improve emotional health, enhance self-awareness, lengthen attention span, reduce age-related memory loss, help cultivate gratitude, improve mood, help release attachments and/or addictions and more. 

 

How to get started: 

  • Location is important- find a safe quiet space.
  • Start in a comfortable seated posture with legs crossed or straight out in front of you. 
  • It may help to sit on top of a cushion or yoga block. 
  • Align your posture by sitting up, allow your shoulders to roll back and down, slight tuck of the chin to align the cervical spine, and close your eyes. 
  • Place both hands to your belly to draw awareness to the breath. 
  • Taking deep inhales though the nose, feel the belly rise and deep exhales from the mouth, feel the belly fall. 
  • Continue even inhales to even exhales. 
  • Focus on the breath: the sound and the sensation. 
  • LET GO OF ALL EXPECTATIONS. 
  • There is no wrong way of meditating. 

Consistency is key! 

Start with 5 minutes per day. Same time of the day is helpful.

 

~Namaste~

Teen Nutrition: Zinc

Todays Teen Nutrition Talk 🤩🌱🧠💪

Is your child between the ages of 13 and 19 years old?
If you answered YES, this post is for YOU!

Zinc is one of the top 10 essential nutrients for teens! 

Zinc is necessary for proper growth & organ development. 
Zinc is also critical for optimal immune function.

Recommended Amounts 
Teen Boys- 11mg daily 
Teen Girls- 9mg daily

Include more of these Zinc-Hearty Sources in your teens diet to ensure recommended amounts are reached.

  1. BEANS & LEGUMES: baked beans (2.9mg per serving), chickpeas (1.3mg per serving), kidney beans (0.9mg per serving), peas (0.5mg per serving)
  2. NUTS & SEEDS: pumpkin seeds (2.2mg per serving), cashews (1.6mg per serving), almonds (0.9mg per serving)
  3. WHOLE GRAINS: oatmeal (1.1mg per serving)
  4. FORTIFIED BREAKFAST CEREALS
  5. SEAFOOD- oysters provide the greatest amount of zinc (74mg per serving). Crab (6.5mg per serving) and lobster (3.4mg per serving) are also good sources of zinc. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-Consumer/#h3
This is the second post in our series on the Top 10 Nutrients for Teens. You can read the first post here.
If you would like to learn more about our services or have a family meal plan created with you and your children in mind, contact our team at fitness@retreatpvb.com!

Top 10 Nutrients for Teens

Lets talk Teen Nutrition 🍎🥦

This essential period of growth requires key nutrients for your child to reach their optimal status of mental and physical functioning!  

Do you know the top 10 Nutrients for Teens?!

In no specific order…

  1. Calcium
  2. Iron
  3. Zinc
  4. Vitamin D
  5. Potassium
  6. Vitamin C
  7. Fiber
  8. Protein
  9. Carbohydrates
  10. Unsaturated Fat

Nutrition is important during adolescence for growth and development! 🥑🍒🌱

Follow along as we discuss each of these important nutrients for adolescents!

Starting off with Calcium

Teens need Calcium for bone growth & development!🦴

Here are some AWESOME plant-based calcium sources to ensure your teen is getting enough🥬 🥜🥛🥗

  • -SEEDS: sesame, celery & chia seeds (also provide omega 3 fatty acids which help reduce inflammation)
  • -BEANS: most beans have some calcium! Beans providing the most calcium include wing beans (24% of RDI) & white beans (13% of RDI). (Beans & lentils are also high in fiber, protein & provide iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium & folate).
  • -ALMONDS: provide 8% of calcium RDI. (Also provide protein, fiber, vitamin E, magnesium, manganese & omega 3 fatty acids).
  • -DARK GREEN LEAFY VEGGIES: Broccoli, kale, spinach, collard greens & rhubarb
  • -FORTIFIED FOODS: (this just means processed foods, in which calcium has been added). This includes breads, tortilla, crackers & cereals. Make sure to read the nutrition panel & ingredients list! These products may be high in sugars, oils & preservatives.
  • -SOY & EDAMAME: Tofu provides 86% of calcium RDI & Edamame provides 10% of calcium RDI. (These are also high in protein and folate).
  • -FORTIFIED DRINKS: Non- dairy milk such as almond or soy milk. Soy milk usually provides the greatest amount of calcium at 30% of RDI. Also, fortified orange juice can provide up to 50% of calcium RDI.
  • -FIGS: Provide 5% of calcium RDI. (Also high in fiber, antioxidants, potassium & vitamin K). 

https://youngwomenshealth.org/2013/10/17/calcium/

*RDI is the Recommended Daily Intake