Four sure-fire ways to ensure your children don't turn into a scary health statistic

Here are some scary facts to get your Halloween off to a bang.

• 17% of South African children between the ages of one and nine are seriously overweight…
• Worldwide figures for type II diabetes in children have risen 45%. This was unheard of ten years ago…
• One in every ten South African kids has ADHD…

Frightening, isn’t it!

Luckily, knowing these facts is the first step to protecting your children’s health. And you can do that starting today.

Don’t let your children become a health statistic! Here’s how you CAN reverse their risk

But here’s the good news: In a recent article, Dr Jeff Bradstreet, the founder of the International Children Development Resource Centre, said that all these diseases are manageable issues if you pay attention to diet, digestion, toxins, overmedication and home environment.

That means…

1. Cut the sugar: Research by UC San Francisco shows that the “prevalence of diabetes in the population increases 1% for every 150-calorie increase from sugars, per person, per day,” reports medicalnewstoday.com. That’s just slightly more than a can of Coke.
2. Pay attention to food sensitivities – these are one of the most common causes of mood and behaviour issues
3. Get moving. Make it part of your family ritual to be active with your kids at least 30 minutes every day.
4. Avoid foods with artificial colourings, flavourings and preservatives. This because dieticians believe limiting these foods in your child’s diet can reduce hyperactive behaviour, says webMD.

If you do nothing else today, pay attention to these scary health statistics! It’s in your power to ensure your child doesn’t become one of them. And it’s easier than you think to take that first step.