Grand Magazine - July/August 2008 - (Page 41)

and physical activities our grandchildren and we need to build strength, stamina and suppleness. Once outside, our grandkids are free to use their whole bodies—they can run and shout, be exuberant, jump, practice balance, and climb. Let’s remember to exercise our funny bones too! Happy, deep-bellied, bend-over-and-laughuntil-you-cry sort of funniness is good for our grandchildren and for us. Laughter is the best “medicine” because it has positive effects on our immune system. Laughing relieves stress and releases relaxing chemicals in our brains. And it’s easy to laugh with our grandchildren. We can be as silly as we want; and even though they might think we’re a little weird, it doesn’t matter because we’re “old.” Make goofy faces in the mirror. Parade about, emitting rude animal noises. Yes, it’s okay to stick out our tongues to see if we can touch our noses or chins. We can show our grandchildren how to balance teaspoons on the tips of their noses, and see who can make the biggest smile. and the fruit pies) and other processed foods, we’re providing our grandchildren with meals that are overloaded with saturated fats, highfructose corn syrup, sugar, sodium, synthetic preservatives, artificial flavoring agents such as MSG, and other food additives that can cause our grandchildren to suffer symptoms of foodrelated allergies such as stuffy noses, itchy and puffy eyes, stomachaches, headaches, behavioral problems, fatigue and learning disabilities— problems that may be compounded by sedentary behavior. Good nutrition isn’t a one-size-fits-all plan. Need guidance? Create ambience When we set the table nicely, we encourage our grandchildren to see mealtime as an aesthetic experience that feeds the eyes as well as the tummy. Children like pretty things. Why not use tablecloths, napkins and pretty dishes (not necessarily the pre-war Czechoslovakian china) during our lunches and dinners with our most favorite guests: our grandchildren? We can be frivolously bold and light natural beeswax candles. We can fill our vases with fresh flowers and herbs. The “special time” we are always waiting for is now—the time we spend with our grandchildren. Why we need to think about the “how” and “what” we feed our grandchildren According to AARP’s Grandparent Study Report, the two most popular ways most of us spend time with our grandchildren are eating together and watching television—which probably means more eating. Droning TV shouldn’t be a dinner companion. It’s time to relocate to the kitchen or the dining room, where we can visit and eat slowly, allowing us—and the children— to enjoy the flavors, appearance, aromas and textures of our food. In a relaxed environment, we also digest our food better and our brains have a chance to tell us when we are full (a message that takes 20 minutes to travel from the stomach to the brain: if we eat quickly, we can eat two or three times more than we need). Ironically, while many of us may be very careful about what types of TV programs we allow our grandchildren to watch, we don’t think twice about serving up super-sized bowls of potato chips to munch on. Unfortunately, many “special treat” meals and snacks we offer to our grandchildren don’t include enough fiber, whole grains, fresh vegetables and fresh fruits. If and when we serve junk food (because the marketing strategy is that even if we go for the salad, we’ll most likely leave with the fries Life’s a picnic…make it so Eating outdoors can make even the simplest meal seem special. On a beautiful afternoon or evening, pack up the picnic basket (or a big paper bag) and head outdoors. The destination isn’t important; it can be a park, the beach, the riverside or even the backyard—it’s the adventure that counts. Breakfast for champs Breakfast shouldn’t be skipped—by us or by our grandchildren. We can nourish them with steaming bowls of old-fashioned oatmeal cooked with apple slices, raisins and cinnamon, and topped with a hint of brown sugar or real maple syrup. (PS: Use the from-scratch oatmeal and prepare it in the microwave. Takes two minutes, and it’s a life-saving act.) We also can be flexible: Breakfast can also be a slice of leftover vegetable pizza, a warm bean burrito or a bowl of chowder. The FDA’s oNLiNe FooD PyrAmiD site and interactive tools offer helpful information about recommended daily food choices, serving sizes, personalized eating plans and more. www.mypyramid.gov/ index.html JULY AUGUST 2008 GRAND 41 http://www.mypyramid.gov/index.html

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Grand Magazine - July/August 2008

Grand Magazine - July/August 2008 Contents Grand View: Love Is All That's Left Isn't It Grand?: Reassessing the Postponed Life Grand Central Just So We Know: One Mixed-Up Lemon Long-Distance Love: Cuttings Ask Grand: Stuck on Stuff Grand Gestures: "Thanks for the Ugly Gift" Tips on Teens: All That Doesn't Meet the Eye Live Long and Propser On the Cover: Peter Yarrow Presents of Mine Thicker Than Water? Reunions: White Water, White Knuckles The Grand Gourmet So We Are Not Alone Looking Grand: Suit-Able Grandbloggers: Why Watch TV When We Can Talk? Grand Bazaar Resources Grand Finale: What Boat

Grand Magazine - July/August 2008

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