Celebrity fitness expert and author Rujuta Diwekar is sounding off the alarm bells. Only this time she is not advising parents on weight loss, but on ways to have happy and healthy kids at home. Yes, you read that right!
Diwekar, who has become somewhat of an authority on fitness and health in India, often shares nuggets of wisdom on her social media channels.
Although they are often about weight loss, food and general health, this time she chose a more sensitive topic, especially for parents.
Diwekar on how to have healthy and happy kids
In a short Facebook post that has now gone viral, Diwekar explains the five ways in which parents can have healthy and happy kids at home.
She begins by sharing that parents must encourage children to get up early and never let them go to school on an empty stomach. "Wake up and eat nuts, never go to school hungry," she writes.
The nutritional consultant also shares that kids must be given "roti or bhakri with jaggery and ghee, once every day- especially when the season changes, to stay strong and resilient to infections and flus." And that, too, in steel dabbas.
"Carry a steel dabba with a homemade snack, no plastic containers or bottles for kids, especially when pre-pubescent," she points out.
In addition, she emphasises that families must celebrate together by avoiding junk food and by travelling together.
"Celebrations are best enjoyed in open spaces by running at crazy speeds on your own two feet. Not by sitting down in restaurants and stuffing your mouth with junk," she muses, while talking about ways to have happy and healthy kids.
Finally, she advises that parents must limit their kids' screen time to 30 minutes at most. "Limit screen time to max 30 mins per day. More than that will interfere with how tall, strong and fast you can get," she warns.
Happy and healthy kids have local desi food
Diwekar's latest notification to parents comes close on heels of her effort to popularise the importance of going desi, especially when it comes to food. In an interview with the Hindustan Times, she implores Indians to take pride in their food and culture, that we must eat what is locally available and to give the same to our kids as well.
"When we go through nutrition transition and give up on our local, native, regional food and we begin to adopt a food system, which has no resonance to our region, culture, that’s when our waists start spilling out in a protest for you to go back to your more local diet,” she explains.
Rujuta Diwekar is reminding parents to encourage their kids to eat in steel dabbas with a dollop of ghee | Image courtesy: Stock
Diwekar also reveals why all kids and adults must indulge in ghee. “Ghee will help you to reduce or mobilise stubborn fat,” she clarifies, adding that it is an essential fatty acid.
She also brings to light the benefits of eating pickles. "Eat your pickle with pride...When you eat pickle with your food, it provides your body with the right conditions to make your own B 12 and you also assimilate all of the vitamins from the food. It helps you nurture the diversity of good bacteria in your stomach. It is pro-biotic,” she highlights.
Eat amla and sugarcane, don't run after western substitutes!
As for sugar substitutes, Diwekar reminds everybody that sugarcane is the best option.
"This is the most important detox. We can eat it in several ways like sugarcane, jaggery, shakkar and sugar. Why to look for sugar substitutes? People say stevia is natural, but isn’t sugarcane natural? Use sugarcane, which is genetically compliant to us,” she explains.
Similarly, she urges that we must all eat amla on a daily basis and to give our kids the same as well.
“Amla is not only rich in Vitamin C but it has many other micro nutrients also. It lends itself to all kinds of dishes. It will keep your food system intact,” she points out.
Incidentally, Diwekar's latest Facebook post is a gentle reminder for parents to go back to the era of simplicity in raising happy and healthy kids. We couldn't agree more!
Also read:Here's why even celebrity dietician Rujuta Diwekar thinks Khichdi is the best food!
