What is in your lunch box?

Suharshi Perera

Open your child's lunch box and find out whether it's filled with personality, memory boosters or long term disease promoters.

Busy moms have less time to spend on preparing their children's breakfast. Instant food, biscuits and bread are god given! But nutritionist, Dr. Renuka Jayatissa tells how unbalanced diet turns monstrous to break fast your child's health.

Square meal

According to Dr. Jayatissa breakfast is directly related to the child's performance. "Children who miss their breakfast often tend to lose their decision-making power," she says.

A child's mental and physical growth depends on a nutritious diet. For that, three main meals per day are essential and missing breakfast means cutting down one third of nutrients. "Deficiencies emerge in the long-run, they are not immediately shown," Dr. Jayatissa says.

Type

A balanced breakfast is not a glass of milk, she says. There are five food groups in our meals. 1. Cereals (include starchy and energy food), 2. Vegetable and fruits, 3. Milk products, 4. Protein (fish, meat, pulses), 5. Fat and sugar.

Breakfast should consist of at least two groups of the above. A glass of milk will cover only one group, Dr. Jayatissa adds.

"Unfortunately 20 per cent of Sri Lankan schoolchildren are undernourished and another 20 per cent are anaemic. This condition is directly related to education and their performance," she says. The denial of adequate nutrients to the body results in various lapses like memory loss and exam failures.

"Working mothers can arrange a healthy breakfast for their children with one cup of rice, dhal and a vegetable," she points out.

"But food made out of wheat flour has to be taken out from the breakfast table as the wheat flour imported to Sri Lanka is highly polished and therefore has no fibre." In addition, long-term bread consumption leads to many diseases like diabetes.

Quantity

Quantity varies from child to child. If the child is engaged in more activities the quantity needs to be increased.Due to biological differences, the food requirement of a male child is higher than that of a female child, especially during 10 to 16 years.

No time

Studies have shown in Sri Lanka that 20 per cent miss or skip their breakfast as they have 'no time'. Skipping breakfast over the years results in gastritis, she adds.

"Some children are used to skip breakfast and to have short-eats like pastries in the interval. These short-eats contain a lot of starch and fat and later become a promoter of diabetes and obesity. Moreover these snacks do not contain vitamins and minerals.

Mostly urban children are used to these instant and junk food and it has become a serious problem today.

Limits

The best way to overcome this situation is to restrict the number of turns you eat-out with children. Artificial food is a promoter of cancer and diabetes, she warns.

"Our studies have shown that 25 per cent of children reject vegetables, green leaves and fruits. They only prefer chicken, dhal and starchy foods," she notes.

Balance

Seventy per cent of the bone mass development occurs during 10-18 years. So a balanced diet with a one hour activity period is essential for a growing child, Dr. Jayatissa remarks.

"Normally in Sri Lanka around 20 per cent of children do not engage in any activity at all after 10 years. This poses a great threat of osteoporosis in their middle ages," she adds.

To avoid osteoporosis later, a calcium rich diet with fruits and vegetables in variety should be given to the child from the seventh month, she reveals.

Milk alone can not provide calcium. One glass of milk per day is adequate but the calcium intake can be fulfilled with other foods as well. "For instance, a child in Hambantota can meet a part of his calcium requirement through woodapple which is abundant in that area.

Likewise vegetable and green leaves are also rich in calcium. The regular consumption of these food and activities will prevent your child from Osteoporosis," Dr. Jayatissa remarks.

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Skin care in monsoon

Few tips for skin care during the rains. First and foremost get your skin analysed. The Skin Analyzer will reveal your innermost skin secrets and map your skin quality and sun damage and hydration levels.

Then you will be recommended a skin care regime that you should follow through the rainy season. In a humid climate, which is wet and warm in the rainy season, skin care can be quite a challenge. The moist air makes your skin feel greasy all the time, while the warmth doesn't stop the sweat. try these tips.

1. Never ignore regular cleansing. Wash and cleanse the face thoroughly with a suitable face wash. Rub an ice cube on your face for five to 10 minutes to lower the sweating rate. It is a good idea to get an anti-bacterial face wash too. For oily skin, you will need a mild cleanser to get the dead cells and grime off from skin.

2. A solid skin toning regime is essential to combat environmental and lifestyle excess. Use a suitable toner for your skin. Regular care will tighten the pores and prevent spots and pimples during the greasy season. Toning is a must at night. You may also invest in a good anti-bacterial toner will go a long way to prevent skin infections and eruptions.

3. Moisturising in the rains is as important as it is in hot weather. Monsoons can mean a de-moisturising effect on dry skin and an over-hydrating effect on oily skin.

That explains the itchy feeling one gets during monsoons. Use a non-water based moisturiser, if you happen to get wet often because the water-based one can get washed off easily with the rain. If you are indoors more, a water-based moisturiser will do.

4. For those with dull and dry skin, thorough exfoliation keeps the pores free of hardened oil and clear of dead cells. Use a refreshing and moisturizing face mask at night to reveal beautiful skin in the morning.

Pay attention to your own skin well-being. With a little care, you will be happily surprised with the sunny smiling image in the mirror during the cloudy, grey days.

Courtesy-Afternoon