Two stories so you child says no to sugar & stays healthy
You might already know that sugar crushes our immune system.
How do you explain this so your child feels empowered to choose or decline sugar AND take responsiblity when they get sick or stay healthy?
How do you help them make the connection in a way that's empowering?
TELL A STORY!
Note: The trick is to tell this story over and over again, without judgement and without emotion - you're just giving them the facts so they can make a choice knowing the consequences. You're handing them responsibility, which is demonstrating respect for their independence and intelligence, which is typically and historically (as in thousands-of-years cultural studies) very enrolling to children. It is far more effective than telling a kid what to do and being disappointed when it doesn't happen. I realize I'm straying from gut health into the realm of parenting advice, so feel free to take it or leave it (and feel free to hit reply with your thoughts or questions).
Our immune system needs super-boost batteries and cool weapons to win. It's almost like a video game.
STORY 1:
SUPER BOOST BATTERIES are trashed by sugar.
Just like a game of Pac Man, our immune system has "munchers" that gobble up infectious microbes - they search & destroy!
They need super-powered batteries to win, and lucky for us - Vitamin C is the super-power battery.
It's easy to get lots of C in veggies (leafy greens, broccoli, peppers) and low-sugar fruits (kiwi, berries, black currants). It's easy to supplement. (I bet your kiddo gets a lot of vitamin C!)
Here's the crazy part of this story!
Sugar (glucose) looks like a super-shiny, super-fancy battery to the mechanics that build the munchers (our absorption system).
Sugar batteries have zero power and zero speed... they will always make you lose this game.
BUT... if sugar is around, the mechanics get confused and replace the Super Booster Vitamin C Batteries with slow & lazy sugar batteries in your munchers!
We lose the game... and are more likely to get SICK.
We don't get to do fun things, or go to school, and it feels awful. Especially these days, people are afraid of us when we're sick, and that feels really bad.
--> SUGAR-POWERED munchers have zero power, zero speed, can't munch anything, and infection wins... YOU LOSE. You get SICK :(
--> VITAMIN C-POWERED munchers have lots of power & speed and munch LOTS of infection and YOU WIN! You stay HEALTHY! :)
When we eat sugar, infection wins and we get sick.
STORY 2:
X-RAY GOGGLES AND WEAPONS are trashed by sugar
Another way our immune system defeats infectious invaders is by spearing them! (So exciting and graphic!)
For a very long time, we've used Vitamin D support to boost our immune armies
VITAMIN D SUPER POWERS ARE TRASHED BY SUGAR
Having plenty of Vitamin D is like giving our Pac Man munchers x-ray goggles and spears! X-ray goggles to instantly recognize invaders, and spears to pop them so they can't even put up a fight while being munched up.
Those are pretty awesome superpowers to give our defense system!
Do you want your munchers to have x-ray goggles and spears?
Yes, me too!
But sugar decreases bioactive Vitamin D, removing those awesome goggles and spears... and making it way easier for us to get sick. (This paper specifically address fructose, found in candy, sweet treats, juice, processed foods, and fruit).
Not enough vitamin D is like putting our munchers to sleep - there are many illnesses from Vitamin D deficiency.
--> SUGAR-POWERED munchers have no x-ray goggles, no spears, and infection wins... YOU LOSE. You get SICK :(
--> VITAMIN D-POWERED munchers have x-ray goggles, weapons, and they know how to use them to defeat infection! YOU WIN! You stay HEALTHY! :)
When we eat sugar, infection wins and we get sick.
You may be brilliant at creating delightful treats without the sugar that your child LOVES....
...but it's all those other grownups that keep giving your kid sugary junk!
Spouses, schools, co-parents, grandparents, neighbors, friends... I've had everyone from bank tellers to nursing assistants at a children's hospital handing my kid cookies and lollies without asking me!
As they grow and become more independent, we just can't be with our child all the time to keep the sugar out.
Try telling your kid some sugar stories.
When your child binges on sugar and gets sick, you get to take sweet care of them, and acknowledge the cause-effect without shaming or judging. After all, we've all made those choices! I can relate.
When they make healthy low-sugar choices, you get to admire and respect them. You get to celebrate their thoughtful, empowered choice and encourage them to be proud of their healthy choice!
You can give your child the power of knowledge, experience and responsiblity for their health.
And keep doing all the amazing things you do, mama!