Helping your children develop self confidence
Children who develop self confidence early are less likely to develop confidence problems as an adult.
Did you know that most self confidence problems originate in childhood? For this reason, it is particularly important to pay attention to children's self confidence - in other words, to help them develop self confidence. They will thank you for it later in life!

To develop self confidence, one factor is more important than all the others - unconditional love an approval. If you have that, little else matters - though of course, instilling a sense of self-discipline is also important. Love and approval are right at the center of the confidence issue, though. This is how we tell children that they are appreciated and that they are perfect in exactly the way that they are. If we delay giving approval, or if we appreciate our children for their potential rather than for what they are right at the present moment, we are setting the scene for serious self confidence issues down the road. Many a well meaning parent has fallen into this trap.

It is very difficult to help your children develop self confidence if you don't have good self-confidence yourself - it's sort of like the blind leading the blind. Ideally, if you yourself have issues with regard to self-confidence, you will try to work them out. You can do this with therapy, or by participating in a course, group or workshop, or just by thinking, reading and working through your issues on your own. We vary in our approach to issues like this. While therapy is generally a great idea, some of us really do better exploring problems on our own.

What happens if a parent has poor self confidence? The problem is that we tend to project our own self-image onto our children. Some people have a greater tendency than others to do this, but no-one is completely immune to it. Then, if you are projecting what you think of yourself onto your son or daughter, and you have poor self confidence, the message you send out will be a disapproving one. It's hard to develop self confidence under those circumstances. Remember that you are you, and your child is your child - he or she has a separate life with its own unique set of challenges. Support your child in all of his or her endeavors - that's what you're there for. While gentle correction and an insistence on self-discipline is helpful, disapproval isn't. Take a good look at your parenting, and do your best to help your child develop self-confidence.

By Robert Kokoska
Published: 2/18/2006 

Parenting Guide To Crohn's Disease In Children
Parenting Guide To Crohn's Disease In Children
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Any type of chronic disorder may be especially difficult for a child to cope with. Likewise, being a parent to such a child may leave you feeling helpless and cheated. Unfortunately, the presence of Crohn’s Disease will not be any easier to bear or deal with, as it has particularly unpleasant side effects.

Crohn’s Disease is a form of Inflammatory Bowel Disease which occurs when the immune system overreacts to an agent of the digestive system, sends excessive white blood cells to the area, and causes inflammation as a result. The exact cause of Crohn’s Disease is unknown, but doctors believe it is because the body misperceives positive bacteria naturally found in the intestines as being harmful. However, once the reaction occurs, the immune system is unable to stop the attack on the digestive tract.

Any area of the digestive system may be affected by Crohn’s disease, from mouth to rectum; however, the area most affected is the lower portion of the small intestines and colon. Depending on which portion of the system is disease, different symptoms may arise. Some examples of symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, loss of appetite, and vomiting. Also, as a result of many of these symptoms, certain side effects occur, such as anemia, weight loss, stunted growth, and delayed development.

There may also be complication in areas outside of the digestive system, such as arthritis, skin rashes, mouth ulcers, or eye inflammation.

Although Crohn’s is a chronic disease, meaning it is ongoing, it does have periods of inactivity. During these periods, no symptoms may occur. However, they will inevitably return at some point. There is currently no cure for Crohn’s Disease.

Treatments for Crohn’s Disease include medications and surgery in severe cases. Medications are usually taken to decrease swelling in the bowels, control the reaction of the immune system, treat infection that may arise, or to treat the symptoms of Crohn’s. Surgery is usually only utilized when other treatment methods are ineffective. Unfortunately, many of the medications taken cause a myriad of side effects, many very severe in nature. However, often medication is necessary in spite of side effects to eliminate potentially life threatening issues, such as infection.

It is important to maintain a healthy diet and to intake plenty of fluids. Malnutrition sometimes occurs from lack of absorption of foods. Likewise, dehydration is a concern due to diarrhea and vomiting.

Your child will also more than likely experience a lot of emotional issues as a result of this disease.

Sarah is an acclaimed writer on medical matters, and has written extensively on the subjects of Attention Deficit Disorder, Bird Flu and Cohn’s Disease.

For more of her articles, go to http://www.imedicalvillage.com now.

By Sarah Jenkins
Published: 1/30/2006 

Benefits of Martial Arts Training For Kids
The benefits of martial arts training for children…
Benefits of Martial Arts Training For Kids
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Admit it. When the going gets tough at home, we’ve all plopped the kids in front of the television and breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, we can get started on dinner, maybe check email or sort that massive pile of laundry.

But when your five-year old yells at you "Mom, Kids Rule!" or your ten-year old horrifies you with language that would make a sailor blush, you realize there must be something amiss with what these "family programs" really teach our kids. And sadly, its happening all over the media today, from sports to cartoons, and our children are learning things that we, as parents, vowed we would never teach them. Old fashioned values like respect and self-discipline, seems to have been forgotten, replaced by the dreaded "bling bling" pop culture of today.

Just the thought of your angelic three-year old morphing into a designer-clad, smart-mouthed, money-worshipping, me-obsessed, lay-about is enough to make any parent consider that threatening military school brochure, but there is a solution out there to consider.

Martial Arts training.

From Ninja Turtles to The Karate Kid

You and your kids have all seen the flying kicks, battle cries and mighty chops of their favorite TV characters, as they beat the bad guys to submission – but, you may ask, how on earth can these acts of violence teach my child anything worthwhile?

First, know that what you see on television (save perhaps the Karate Kid) is a far cry from what real martial arts are all about. The fact is, martial arts training is based on non-violence.

Originating in Asia (mainly Japan, China and Korea, although Thailand and Vietnam have their own practices as well), martial arts range from a variety of types and styles, all of which are based on well-rounded, moral teachings. The beauty of learning martial arts is that it encompasses not just the physical aspect of the "sport", but mental and emotional lessons as well.

Comparing that to other kid’s activities and sports, where fierce competitiveness and "winning at all costs" seems to be the order of the day, it’s not surprising that many children grapple with issues of self-esteem and misplaced aggression.

Now imagine your child actually learning valuable life lessons, skills that he will take throughout life, laying the foundation for a happy, well-adjusted and fulfilled adult life. If only karate for kids was popular in the 70’s, when I was growing up!

The Advantages

    • Karate, and other martial arts for kids, builds confidence and self-esteem as well as self-discipline, respect, concentration and courtesy.

    • Many martial arts schools also offer leadership courses for kids, in conjunction with their karate for kids programs, or similar lessons.

    • Martial Arts is ideal for children who do not do well in team sports, giving them the ability to flourish this activity, while combining physical and mental practices.

    • Many do not realize this, but it is a fact that martial arts training are safer than most school sports.

    • Children with special needs, such as ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), learning difficulties and hyperactivity are often recommended to participate in martial arts for kids because of the clear benefits in its structured training techniques.



Kung-Fu Master or Ninja Warrior?

Before you sign up Junior for the first martial arts class you see, take some time to check out the different methods available, and match it with what you know would suit your child best. This is a good way to avoid any problems that may sprout from a conflict of your child’s personality and the training techniques.

Is your little Zach a sensitive soul? Then maybe a class that doesn’t center on sparring (full-on kicks and punches training) but rather, slower, defensive maneuvers would fare better for him. Kids with an aggressive streak, however, may prefer the more forceful moves and thrive in competitive sparring.

Here’s a quick primer on the kid-friendly martial arts training you’re likely to find:

Martial Arts From Japan

    Karate

    • Uses defensive and aggressive moves

    • Centers on building strength and endurance

    • Involves chops, punches, kicks, strikes, blocking and sparring

    • May use weapons

    Jujitsu

    • Uses defensive and aggressive moves

    • Involves lots of sparring

    • Teaches a fair amount of weapons training

    Aikido

    • Uses a more "spiritual" and harmonious style in redirecting the aggression of the attacker as the form of defense, using throws, pins, rolls etc.

    • Taught on the premise of disabling an aggressor without attacking, through your individual inner energy

    • Does not involve sparring or competitions

    Judo

    • Uses gentle, "wrestling-like" movements

    • Considered one of the safest methods of martial arts

    • Emphasizes physical control as well as mental development

    • Engages in competitions



Martial Arts From China

    Kung-Fu

    • The generic term referring to Chinese martial arts with a variety of styles

    • Involves attack movements as well as defensive techniques

    • Teaches kicks, punches, chops, throws, falls, grappling, katas, leg sweeps and blows among others.

    • Engages in sparring competitions



Martial Arts From Korea

    Taekwondo

    • Competitive in nature, involves techniques using elaborate footwork and unique high kicks.

    • Emphasizes strength, force and attack methods.

    • Engages in lots of sparring and competitions.



Choosing The Right Instruction

If you have an idea of the type of martial arts class you’d like your child to participate in, the next step would be to find the right school. Finding the right class that not only matches your child’s and your needs, in terms of teachers you feel comfortable with, the price, facilities and so on, are all important factors.

Say you’ve found a local place that specializes in Karate for Kids. What are the things you should look for?

    1. Good Instructors

    Check out their qualifications, teaching methods and watch carefully how they interact with the other children. It should be a fun learning experience!

    2. Space and Safety

    Obviously you would want to entrust your child in as establishment that is safe, well-maintained, and clean with ample space as well as decent facilities and equipment.

    3. School Values

    Different martial arts schools inevitably go by different values, for instance, one kid’s karate class may handle aggression in one way, while a judo class would have a different approach. Take some time to observe which school’s ideals match your family’s principles.

    4. Prices and Schedules

    Prices for martial arts training can vary according to school and location, so make sure you the instruction you choose represents fair value. Finding the most effective way to fit martial arts training into your family’s lifestyle is also essential, knowing what works best with your schedule and other activities.

Baby Blackbelts

Starting your child young in karate training is ideal (children as young as the age of four are usually accepted, as it is also a good way to hone fine motor skills), and lots of parents have found that in as little as a year, their children who were involved in martial arts had noticeably gained positive traits such as increased self-esteem, respect and overall physical fitness.

Many parents also opt to join a martial arts training program themselves, making it a great bonding experience for the entire family.

About the author:

Laura Saunders is a successful freelance writer, mother of two, and a martial arts practitioner who has written articles for http://www.best-karate-equipment.com, your online guide to karate uniforms and karate training equipment.

By John Phung
Published: 12/16/2005Benefits of Martial Arts Training For Kids
The benefits of martial arts training for children…
Benefits of Martial Arts Training For Kids
Enlarge Image
Admit it. When the going gets tough at home, we’ve all plopped the kids in front of the television and breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, we can get started on dinner, maybe check email or sort that massive pile of laundry.

But when your five-year old yells at you "Mom, Kids Rule!" or your ten-year old horrifies you with language that would make a sailor blush, you realize there must be something amiss with what these "family programs" really teach our kids. And sadly, its happening all over the media today, from sports to cartoons, and our children are learning things that we, as parents, vowed we would never teach them. Old fashioned values like respect and self-discipline, seems to have been forgotten, replaced by the dreaded "bling bling" pop culture of today.

Just the thought of your angelic three-year old morphing into a designer-clad, smart-mouthed, money-worshipping, me-obsessed, lay-about is enough to make any parent consider that threatening military school brochure, but there is a solution out there to consider.

Martial Arts training.

From Ninja Turtles to The Karate Kid

You and your kids have all seen the flying kicks, battle cries and mighty chops of their favorite TV characters, as they beat the bad guys to submission – but, you may ask, how on earth can these acts of violence teach my child anything worthwhile?

First, know that what you see on television (save perhaps the Karate Kid) is a far cry from what real martial arts are all about. The fact is, martial arts training is based on non-violence.

Originating in Asia (mainly Japan, China and Korea, although Thailand and Vietnam have their own practices as well), martial arts range from a variety of types and styles, all of which are based on well-rounded, moral teachings. The beauty of learning martial arts is that it encompasses not just the physical aspect of the "sport", but mental and emotional lessons as well.

Comparing that to other kid’s activities and sports, where fierce competitiveness and "winning at all costs" seems to be the order of the day, it’s not surprising that many children grapple with issues of self-esteem and misplaced aggression.

Now imagine your child actually learning valuable life lessons, skills that he will take throughout life, laying the foundation for a happy, well-adjusted and fulfilled adult life. If only karate for kids was popular in the 70’s, when I was growing up!

The Advantages

    • Karate, and other martial arts for kids, builds confidence and self-esteem as well as self-discipline, respect, concentration and courtesy.

    • Many martial arts schools also offer leadership courses for kids, in conjunction with their karate for kids programs, or similar lessons.

    • Martial Arts is ideal for children who do not do well in team sports, giving them the ability to flourish this activity, while combining physical and mental practices.

    • Many do not realize this, but it is a fact that martial arts training are safer than most school sports.

    • Children with special needs, such as ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), learning difficulties and hyperactivity are often recommended to participate in martial arts for kids because of the clear benefits in its structured training techniques.



Kung-Fu Master or Ninja Warrior?

Before you sign up Junior for the first martial arts class you see, take some time to check out the different methods available, and match it with what you know would suit your child best. This is a good way to avoid any problems that may sprout from a conflict of your child’s personality and the training techniques.

Is your little Zach a sensitive soul? Then maybe a class that doesn’t center on sparring (full-on kicks and punches training) but rather, slower, defensive maneuvers would fare better for him. Kids with an aggressive streak, however, may prefer the more forceful moves and thrive in competitive sparring.

Here’s a quick primer on the kid-friendly martial arts training you’re likely to find:

Martial Arts From Japan

    Karate

    • Uses defensive and aggressive moves

    • Centers on building strength and endurance

    • Involves chops, punches, kicks, strikes, blocking and sparring

    • May use weapons

    Jujitsu

    • Uses defensive and aggressive moves

    • Involves lots of sparring

    • Teaches a fair amount of weapons training

    Aikido

    • Uses a more "spiritual" and harmonious style in redirecting the aggression of the attacker as the form of defense, using throws, pins, rolls etc.

    • Taught on the premise of disabling an aggressor without attacking, through your individual inner energy

    • Does not involve sparring or competitions

    Judo

    • Uses gentle, "wrestling-like" movements

    • Considered one of the safest methods of martial arts

    • Emphasizes physical control as well as mental development

    • Engages in competitions



Martial Arts From China

    Kung-Fu

    • The generic term referring to Chinese martial arts with a variety of styles

    • Involves attack movements as well as defensive techniques

    • Teaches kicks, punches, chops, throws, falls, grappling, katas, leg sweeps and blows among others.

    • Engages in sparring competitions



Martial Arts From Korea

    Taekwondo

    • Competitive in nature, involves techniques using elaborate footwork and unique high kicks.

    • Emphasizes strength, force and attack methods.

    • Engages in lots of sparring and competitions.



Choosing The Right Instruction

If you have an idea of the type of martial arts class you’d like your child to participate in, the next step would be to find the right school. Finding the right class that not only matches your child’s and your needs, in terms of teachers you feel comfortable with, the price, facilities and so on, are all important factors.

Say you’ve found a local place that specializes in Karate for Kids. What are the things you should look for?

    1. Good Instructors

    Check out their qualifications, teaching methods and watch carefully how they interact with the other children. It should be a fun learning experience!

    2. Space and Safety

    Obviously you would want to entrust your child in as establishment that is safe, well-maintained, and clean with ample space as well as decent facilities and equipment.

    3. School Values

    Different martial arts schools inevitably go by different values, for instance, one kid’s karate class may handle aggression in one way, while a judo class would have a different approach. Take some time to observe which school’s ideals match your family’s principles.

    4. Prices and Schedules

    Prices for martial arts training can vary according to school and location, so make sure you the instruction you choose represents fair value. Finding the most effective way to fit martial arts training into your family’s lifestyle is also essential, knowing what works best with your schedule and other activities.

Baby Blackbelts

Starting your child young in karate training is ideal (children as young as the age of four are usually accepted, as it is also a good way to hone fine motor skills), and lots of parents have found that in as little as a year, their children who were involved in martial arts had noticeably gained positive traits such as increased self-esteem, respect and overall physical fitness.

Many parents also opt to join a martial arts training program themselves, making it a great bonding experience for the entire family.

About the author:

Laura Saunders is a successful freelance writer, mother of two, and a martial arts practitioner who has written articles for http://www.best-karate-equipment.com, your online guide to karate uniforms and karate training equipment.

By John Phung
Published: 12/16/2005 

For the Kids With Nowhere to Turn
If you’re a teen and feel you’re at the end of yourself. Read This.
For the Kids With Nowhere to Turn
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One of my favorite songs is "You’re Never Alone" by Hatebreed because the lyrics say, "this is for the kids who have no where to turn, who have nothing to live for, you think you haven't the will to persist, you have to search within yourself. While listening to that song I was inspired to write how it is effective in bodybuilding. Being a teen is rough and sometimes coming an end to oneself is what develops your character. There is light at the end of the tunnel if you keep going.

Everyone goes through problems in their life, but it’s what you do about them that defines who you are. The first thing you need to do is find the source of the problem. Who or what caused all the grief? Don’t become discouraged with yourself if the situation is out of your control, but if you feel the problem was indeed your fault, you need to do everything in your power to find a way out.

When looking for a cure, a positive attitude is much better than a negative one. Keeping a positive attitude is much easier said than done, but is crucial if you want to overcome the problem. Go slow, take small baby steps to get where you are going, and develop a list of goals you will try to accomplish for the day. If your goal is to get better grades, you need to decide if you’re spending enough time doing your homework. WRITE DOWN that you need to spend more time doing your homework. That way you remind yourself what needs done to improve your grades. It’s the same way with any other goal, writing your goals down on paper will give you the motivation to mend on whatever goal you are trying to improve on.

You’re not going to get everything right the first try so having a backup plan will keep you from failing completely. Setbacks are inevitable, but you have to keep moving on no matter the circumstances. A good example is deciding what you want to be when you get older. Many times you go to college expecting to major in a certain area, and then decide that you want to switch to something different. If the person has a backup plan then that person would avoid the decision of what their going to be all over again.

Life is hard and sometimes it feels like there is no way out. This happens to almost everyone so don’t get discouraged when you encounter problems. Remember, have a positive attitude, keep a list of how to overcome your problem slowly, and always have a backup plan in case your main goal fails. Until next time, cya!

By zach bashore
Published: 11/12/2005
 

Does your child need children's vitamins?
You might think that your child gets a balanced, nutrition-rich diet. But is that really so?
Does your child need children's vitamins?
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This question has been has been tormenting parents all over the world. Yet, there are no easy answers to it. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says that "a diet based on the Food Guide Pyramid provides adequate amounts of all the vitamins a child needs." But then, there are a lot of other factors that decide whether your child is getting adequate amounts of vitamins, such as the child's eating habits, composition and quality of the diets, etc.

One important thing to note here is that the quality of most foods available now has declined. The only good ones available now are organically grown food. Just look at these figures: the amount of calcium in broccoli has fallen by a whopping 50 per cent, the iron content in watercress is down by a steep 88 per cent, the vitamin C in cauliflower has fallen by a huge 40 per cent... You may not be giving your child the usual fare of refined food spiked with sugar and fat and carbohydrates. Yet, there is no guarantee that he or she is getting her required daily dose of children's vitamins.

Still experts disagree much on this subject of children's vitamins. The AAP advises giving your child a vitamin supplement only if your pediatrician recommends it. That is because most of the daily foods are fortified. However, the AAP acknowledges that a daily dose of children's vitamins won't hurt your child unless it exceeds the recommended daily allowance for any vitamin or mineral. Also, such a daily dose of children's vitamins help fill in any gaps in a child's nutrition, and also helps children who are sensitive to certain foods. What is to be borne in mind here is that children's vitamins cannot replace good food. They can only supplement your child's food. If your child is not eating well, you should not only give him children's vitamin supplements but also take steps to improve his eating habits and his diet.

Oh yes, there is one more reason why you should be giving your children a proper diet. Recent research says diet and behavior are interlinked. The Appleton Central Alternative High School replaced vending machines with water coolers and started offering fresh vegetables, fruits, whole-grain bread and a salad bar in place of the hamburgers and french fries. The result: No longer does a police officer patrol the school's hallways, there is no vandalism, there is no litter.

Go for food-based children's vitamins

Now comes the important question. What kind of children's vitamin should you give your child? You should start with a food-based vitamin. No questions about that. Synthetic vitamins are out. Scientists and doctors now prefer to use natural vitamins. This is where glyconutritionals come in. They are foods and nutritional supplements that provide saccharides along with other glycoforms essential to the body. Glyconutritional blends are made from fruits and vegetables and contain the essential vitamins, minerals, and other vital nutrients, and provide support for the body's immune system.

The saccharides in glyconutritionals are necessary for proper 'cell-to-cell' communication and helps keep the body's glands and organs functioning well. They also help the immune system and the endocrine system in top order, and the body in optimal health.

Worried about how you will make your child swallow all those pills? Well, children's vitamins and nutritional supplements now come as delicious, multicolored, flavored, chewable tablets. Your children will eat them up just as they eat up the junk foods and candies!

About the author

Lisa Hyde-Barrett, a registered nurse and wellness advocate, knows the value of good nutrition and its relationship with good health. She’s become passionate about the new research behind sugars, specifically Glyconutritional products. Want the best children's vitamins for your child? Know more about food-based children's vitamins at http://www.deadly-health-myths.com/childrens_vitamins.html

By Lisa Hyde-Barrett
Published: 10/5/2005
 

The Narcissist as Eternal Child
"Puer Aeternus" - the eternal adolescent, the semipternal Peter pan - is a phenomenon often associated with pathological narcissism. People who refuse to grow up strike others as self-centered and aloof, petulant and brattish, haughty and demanding - in short: as childish or infantile.
The Narcissist as Eternal Child
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"Puer Aeternus" - the eternal adolescent, the semipternal Peter pan - is a phenomenon often associated with pathological narcissism. People who refuse to grow up strike others as self-centred and aloof, petulant and brattish, haughty and demanding - in short: as childish or infantile.

The narcissist is a partial adult. He seeks to avoid adulthood. Infantilisation - the discrepancy between one's advanced chronological age and one's retarded behavior, cognition, and emotional development - is the narcissist's preferred art form. Some narcissists even use a childish tone of voice occasionally and adopt a toddler's body language.

But most narcissist resort to more subtle means.

They reject or avoid adult chores and functions. They refrain from acquiring adult skills (such as driving) or an adult's formal education. They evade adult responsibilities towards others, including and especially towards their nearest and dearest. They hold no steady jobs, never get married, raise no family, cultivate no roots, maintain no real friendships or meaningful relationships.

Many a narcissist remains attached to his (or her) family of origin. By clinging to his parents, the narcissist continues to act in the role of a child. He thus avoids the need to make adult decisions and (potentially painful) choices. He transfers all adult chores and responsibilities - from laundry to baby-sitting - to his parents, siblings, spouse, or other relatives. He feels unshackled, a free spirit, ready to take on the world (in other words omnipotent and omnipresent).

Such "delayed adulthood" is very common in many poor and developing countries, especially those with patriarchal societies. I wrote in "The Last Family":

"To the alienated and schizoid ears of Westerners, the survival of family and community in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) sounds like an attractive proposition. A dual purpose safety net, both emotional and economic, the family in countries in transition provides its members with unemployment benefits, accommodation, food and psychological advice to boot.

Divorced daughters, saddled with little (and not so little) ones, the prodigal sons incapable of finding a job befitting their qualifications, the sick, the unhappy - all are absorbed by the compassionate bosom of the family and, by extension the community. The family, the neighborhood, the community, the village, the tribe - are units of subversion as well as useful safety valves, releasing and regulating the pressures of contemporary life in the modern, materialistic, crime ridden state.

The ancient blood feud laws of the kanoon were handed over through familial lineages in northern Albania, in defiance of the paranoiac Enver Hoxha regime. Criminals hide among their kin in the Balkans, thus effectively evading the long arm of the law (state). Jobs are granted, contracts signed and tenders won on an open and strict nepotistic basis and no one finds it odd or wrong. There is something atavistically heart-warming in all this.

Historically, the rural units of socialization and social organization were the family and the village. As villagers migrated to the cities, these structural and functional patterns were imported by them, en masse. The shortage of urban apartments and the communist invention of the communal apartment (its tiny rooms allocated one per family with kitchen and bathroom common to all) only served to perpetuate these ancient modes of multi-generational huddling. At best, the few available apartments were shared by three generations: parents, married off-spring and their children. In many cases, the living space was also shared by sickly or no-good relatives and even by unrelated families.

These living arrangements - more adapted to rustic open spaces than to high rises - led to severe social and psychological dysfunctions. To this very day, Balkan males are spoiled by the subservience and servitude of their in-house parents and incessantly and compulsively catered to by their submissive wives. Occupying someone else's home, they are not well acquainted with adult responsibilities.

Stunted growth and stagnant immaturity are the hallmarks of an entire generation, stifled by the ominous proximity of suffocating, invasive love. Unable to lead a healthy sex life behind paper thin walls, unable to raise their children and as many children as they see fit, unable to develop emotionally under the anxiously watchful eye of their parents - this greenhouse generation is doomed to a zombie-like existence in the twilight nether land of their parents' caves. Many ever more eagerly await the demise of their caring captors and the promised land of their inherited apartments, free of their parents' presence.

The daily pressures and exigencies of co-existence are enormous. The prying, the gossip, the criticism, the chastising, the small agitating mannerisms, the smells, the incompatible personal habits and preferences, the pusillanimous bookkeeping - all serve to erode the individual and to reduce him or her to the most primitive mode of survival. This is further exacerbated by the need to share expenses, to allocate labor and tasks, to plan ahead for contingencies, to see off threats, to hide information, to pretend and to fend off emotionally injurious behavior. It is a sweltering tropic of affective cancer."

Alternatively, by acting as surrogate caregiver to his siblings or parents, the narcissist displaces his adulthood into a fuzzier and less demanding territory. The social expectations from a husband and a father are clear-cut. Not so from a substitute, mock, or ersatz parent. By investing his efforts, resources, and emotions in his family of origin, the narcissist avoids having to establish a new family and face the world as an adult. His is an "adulthood by proxy", a vicarious imitation of the real thing.

The ultimate in dodging adulthood is finding God (long recognized as a father-substitute), or some other "higher cause". The believer allows the doctrine and the social institutions that enforce it to make decisions for him and thus relieve him of responsibility. He succumbs to the paternal power of the collective and surrenders his personal autonomy. In other words, he is a child once more. Hence the allure of faith and the lure of dogmas such as nationalism or Communism or liberal democracy.

But why does the narcissist refuse to grow up? Why does he postpone the inevitable and regards adulthood as a painful experience to be avoided at a great cost to personal growth and self-realization? Because remaining essentially a toddler caters to all his narcissistic needs and defenses and nicely tallies with the narcissist's inner psychodynamic landscape.

Pathological narcissism is an infantile defense against abuse and trauma, usually occurring in early childhood or early adolescence. Thus, narcissism is inextricably entwined with the abused child's or adolescent's emotional make-up, cognitive deficits, and worldview. To say "narcissist" is to say "thwarted, tortured child".

It is important to remember that overweening, smothering, spoiling, overvaluing, and idolizing the child - are all forms of parental abuse. There is nothing more narcissistically-gratifying than the admiration and adulation (narcissistic supply) garnered by precocious child-prodigies (Wunderkinder). Narcissists who are the sad outcomes of excessive pampering and sheltering become addicted to it.

In a paper published in Quadrant in 1980 and titled "Puer Aeternus: The Narcissistic Relation to the Self", Jeffrey Satinover, a Jungian analyst, offers these astute observations:

"The individual narcissistically bound to (the image or archetype of the divine child) for identity can experience satisfaction from a concrete achievement only if it matches the grandeur of this archetypal image. It must have the qualities of greatness, absolute uniqueness, of being the best and ... prodigiously precocious. This latter quality explains the enormous fascination of child prodigies, and also explains why even a great success yields no permanent satisfaction for the puer: being an adult, no accomplishment is precocious unless he stays artificially young or equates his accomplishments with those of old age (hence the premature striving after the wisdom of those who are much older)."

The simple truth is that children get away with narcissistic traits and behaviors. Narcissists know that. They envy children, hate them, try to emulate them and, thus, compete with them for scarce narcissistic supply.

Children are forgiven for feeling grandiose and self-important or even encouraged to develop such emotions as part of "building up their self-esteem". Kids frequently exaggerate with impunity accomplishments, talents, skills, contacts, and personality traits - exactly the kind of conduct that narcissists are chastised for!

As part of a normal and healthy development trajectory, young children are as obsessed as narcissists are with fantasies of unlimited success, fame, fearsome power or omnipotence, and unequalled brilliance. Adolescent are expected to be preoccupied with bodily beauty or sexual performance (as is the somatic narcissist), or ideal, everlasting, all-conquering love or passion. What is normal in the first 16 years of life is labeled a pathology later on.

Children are firmly convinced that they are unique and, being special, can only be understood by, should only be treated by, or associate with, other special or unique, or high-status people. In time, through the process of socialization, young adults learn the benefits of collaboration and acknowledge the innate value of each and every person. Narcissists never do. They remain fixated in the earlier stage.

Preteens and teenagers require excessive admiration, adulation, attention and affirmation. It is a transient phase that gives place to the self-regulation of one's sense of inner worth. Narcissists, however, remain dependent on others for their self-esteem and self-confidence. They are fragile and fragmented and thus very susceptible to criticism, even if it is merely implied or imagined.

Well into pubescence, children feel entitled. As toddlers, they demand automatic and full compliance with their unreasonable expectations for special and favorable priority treatment. They grow out of it as they develop empathy and respect for the boundaries, needs, and wishes of other people. Again, narcissists never mature, in this sense.

Children, like adult narcissists, are "interpersonally exploitative", i.e., use others to achieve their own ends. During the formative years (0-6 years old), children are devoid of empathy. They are unable to identify with, acknowledge, or accept the feelings, needs, preferences, priorities, and choices of others.

Both adult narcissists and young children are envious of others and sometimes seek to hurt or destroy the causes of their frustration. Both groups behave arrogantly and haughtily, feel superior, omnipotent, omniscient, invincible, immune, "above the law", and omnipresent (magical thinking), and rage when frustrated, contradicted, challenged, or confronted.

The narcissist seeks to legitimize his child-like conduct and his infantile mental world by actually remaining a child, by refusing to mature and to grow up, by avoiding the hallmarks of adulthood, and by forcing others to accept him as the Puer Aeternus, the Eternal Youth, a worry-free, unbounded, Peter Pan.
           By Sam Vaknin
Published: 9/5/2005 

Raising Children As Vegans 'unethical', Says Professor
A leading US nutritionist today claimed that vegetarian and vegan parents are damaging their children's health by denying them meat.

UK experts immediately contested the findings of Professor Lindsay Allen, of the University of California at Davis, and Sir Paul McCartney told the BBC that the claims were "rubbish".

Prof Allen conducted a study of impoverished children in Kenya, and found that adding as little as two spoonfuls of meat a day to their starch-based diets dramatically improved muscle development and mental skills.

Speaking at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, in Washington DC, she said: "Animal source foods have some nutrients which are not found anywhere else.

"If you're talking about feeding young children and pregnant women and lactating women, I would go as far as to say it is unethical to withhold these foods during that period of life. There's a lot of empirical research that will show the very adverse effects on child development of doing that."

Prof Allen was especially critical of parents who imposed a vegan lifestyle on their children, denying them milk, cheese, eggs and butter, as well as meat. "There's absolutely no question that it's unethical for parents to bring up their children as strict vegans," she said.

Sir Paul, a vegetarian for 20 years, telephoned the BBC to dismiss the claims as "rubbish", telling the BBC Radio 2 Jeremy Vine show: "I really do think this is rubbish. I think the medical profession itself, apart from this one person, come to the conclusion that a veggie diet is good for you and can help with colon cancer and stuff, so I suspect these things are engineered by livestock people who have seen sales fall off.

"From my own point of view, it has been a good thing for me and my children, who are no shorter than other children."

However, the British Dietetic Association said the study looked at impoverished, rural children with a poor background diet low in essential nutrients such as zinc, B12 and iron, and its findings were not applicable to vegan children in the developed world.

"There is no evidence that our vegan and vegetarian children in this country suffer impaired development," a spokeswoman for the association said.

She said Prof Allen's assertion that some nutrients could only be obtained from animal sources was incorrect. Even vitamin B12, which is only found in animal products, was used to fortify vegan alternatives such as Marmite.

Vegetarians could obtain sufficient calcium from sesame seeds, nuts and fortified soya milk, and iron from dried fruit and fortified breakfast cereals, the spokeswoman added.

The African study involved 544 children in Kenya, typically aged around seven, whose diet mainly consisted of starchy, low-nutrition corn and bean staples lacking these micronutrients. Over a period of two years, one group of the children was given a daily supplement of two ounces of meat - equivalent to roughly two spoonfuls of mince.

Two other groups received either a cup of milk a day or an oil supplement containing the same amount of energy. The diet of a fourth group was left unaltered.

The changes seen in the children given the meat, and to a lesser extent the milk or oil, were dramatic.

Prof Allen, the director of the US Agricultural Research Service's Western Human Nutrition Research Centre at Davis, said: "It was found that, compared with controls that had no intervention, the meat group had 80% more increase in muscle mass over the two years of the study, and the milk and energy group had 40% more increase in muscle mass.

"In terms of cognitive function, the group that received the meat supplement showed the biggest improvement in fluid intelligence over the two years, and those who had either milk or energy supplements were better than the controls. The group that received the meat supplements were more active in the playground, more talkative and playful, and showed more leadership skills," she said.

Test scores for mental skills improved by 35 points for the meat group and 14 for the milk, while remaining unchanged for the children who received no supplements, she said. Adding either meat or milk to the diets also almost completely eliminated the very high rates of vitamin B12 deficiency previously seen in the children.

"It's important to know that these important benefits to human function and human capital were seen in just two years," Prof Allen added. "Had these children received these foods earlier in life, or their mothers received them when they had been pregnant, or people could receive them throughout their lives, we think that the improvements in human capital development would be even more dramatic."

She said that, although the study had been conducted in a poor African community, its message was highly relevant to people in developed countries. Studies of vegetarians in both the US and Europe had shown that missing out on meat and dairy products could permanently impair a child's development.

Liz O'Neill, the head of communications at the Vegetarian Society, is seven months pregnant with her first child, and said nothing in Prof Allen's research had dissuaded her from the intention of raising her baby as a vegetarian.

"This study should not scare any parents in this country. It's just not relevant," Ms O'Neill said. "Certainly a balanced vegetarian diet will be much healthier than the average meat-eater's diet. As soon as you take something out of your diet, it makes you stop and think about how to replace what is missing."

However, Dr Alastair Sutcliffe, a senior lecturer in paediatrics at University College London, said human ancestry showed that natural diet includes meat and that a diet inclusive of meat was likely to produce a taller, stronger child.

"Whilst I respect a person's ethical decision to eat a vegan diet as an adult, it should be very carefully considered if that is the right decision for a child," Dr Sutcliffe said. He said he believed a vegetarian diet including dairy products would probably be fine for children.

The British Dietetic Association spokeswoman said the study raised the important point that pregnant and breastfeeding women and young children were vulnerable as vegans, and that parents should carefully review their children's diet to ensure they were eating a well-balanced diet.

However, she dismissed as "extreme" Prof Allen's assertion that feeding children a vegan diet was unethical, and recommended parents read the nutrition guides available from the Vegetarian Society to help them plan a balanced diet.

By Guardian Unlimited © Copyright Guardian Newspapers 2006
Published: 2/21/2005 

Types of Child-Resistant, Senior-Friendly Drug Closure Systems
For more than 25 years, push-and-turn closures have been the most common type of closure for prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. However, many more new closures are designed and tested everyday.
Sanner of America decided to adopt a push-and-turn mechanism for its new closure. To assist seniors in opening the closure mechanism, it designed an opening tool that inserts into the top of the screw cap. The tool requires less effort than the traditional push-and-turn process, yet independent testing has shown that children are not able to use the tool themselves. This is due to the tool having to be put into grooves on the closure top just right, while holding and turning it simultaneously.

Captive Plastics decided to design a one-piece push-and-turn closure as opposed to the two-piece design. With the two-piece design, it is difficult to determine when the closure is open. With Captive Plastics’ one-piece design, once you push and turn it, it pops up, providing visual and audible evidence. Not only is this design lightweight, but it also costs less because a high number of cavities can be used during the molding process.

The most popular type of one-piece closure is the squeeze-and-turn design. This design minimizes the force needed to squeeze the cap and open it. However, the challenge facing one-piece squeeze-and-turn closure designers is to find a child-resistant design that seals efficiently.

Another challenge facing closure designers is ensuring that small closures, those under 24mm, pass the CPSC’s protocol. Seniors have difficulty grabbing small objects. But, closure designers don’t feel as though size modification is the solution. The package must be aesthetically pleasing and marketable.

An alternative to the push-and-turn and squeeze-and-turn designs, closure designers have also designed the line-up-the-arrows mechanism. This design requires the consumer to line up corresponding arrows on caps and bottles and lift the lid. The problem with this design is that consumers aren’t patient enough to follow complicated instructions. In a dark room, colored arrows cannot be seen. Colored arrows would also make it easier for children to open the closure.

Many closure designers are incorporating other features to help companies save steps in the packaging process and reduce the number of vendors. Sanner’s closure has a hinged breakaway tab on the top of the lid that pops out when the child-resistant mechanism is activated through either pushing and turning or pulling down on the cap. It provides tamper evidence to the consumer, also. If the tab is absent, it is indicative that the bottle has been opened. It also has a tear band at the base of the closure. The closure can be supplied with a built-in desiccant cartridge that can hold either 2g of silica gel or 3g of a molecular-sieve adsorbing material.

To enable consumers to quickly identify the bottle’s contents, Kerr’s child-resistant closure has a clear cap. Owens-Brockway designed their two-piece push-and-turn closure, named MedTime. It has an indexing mechanism that advances each time it is closed. This helps the consumer keep track of each dose. Rexam Closures combined a flexible blister package with a rigid plastic device. It is a child-resistant "compact-like" molded mechanism that acts as a display carton and a shipping device.

Stull Technologies designed a new child-resistant closure called the StullSure. It, too, passed the protocol testing with a near-perfect success rate. The closure is a one-piece flip-top designed for personal care and cosmetic products containing 10% or more low-viscosity hydrocarbons by weight. The StullSure looks and functions like a standard flip-top closure to maintain an aesthetically pleasing look. The StullSure uses a locking device that snaps on to a bottle, hindering removal.

Alcan Packaging designed an injection-molded, single-piece closure. It features an outer sleeve rotating around an inner sleeve. The closure can only be opened when two buttons are pressed while the cap is turned. This button-lock design is aesthetically pleasing and offers a cost-effective alternative to existing child-resistant closures.

More closure systems will be discussed in Part 2.
           By Stacey Lloyd
Published: 12/11/2004 

Yoga And Your Child
Ever noticed what a contortionist your new born is? Or how flexible your toddler and even three- year- old’ s limbs are? Have you ever tried to put your toes in your mouth? Losing that inane elasticity of our muscles and joints as we grow older is the cause for many injuries and diseases. The solution is to maintain this elasticity…and start early, VERY early. Introducing a child to Yoga and its practices early on will ensure this physical perfection lasts a lifetime.
It starts right in the cozy water body called womb, your child’s celebration of being given a human body. The unborn baby flexes its arms, kicks its legs, and swims around vigorously within the tiny space given to it. Then, after birth, here is a period of adjustment but very soon the urge to movement returns. Within a few months, turning, kicking on stimuli and every human movement is stronger than ever. We adults believe that a growing infant is actually immobile, the fact is, is muscles are always in motion. They are constantly stretching, poised for growth. But at that stage, exercises are limited to some stretching and pulling massages that a touch-hungry mother may give. By the time the toddler learns to crawl, stand and then walk, skies are the limit.

Teaching them simple exercises as a part of the fun ad games will start healthy development of the muscles and organs, encourage circulation of blood and help growth of the bone structure. Starting he celebration of movement young, will also help to inculcate in them a lifetime of appreciation for physical well being, and the urge to stay in touch with one’s own body… something that goes a long way in giving them a happy, healthy life. Besides, the earliest impressions of parents themselves taking care of their physical fitness also contribute to a child’s ability to do it.

With your infant, encourage happy moments of moving together, touch their toes, and their podgy soles, and watch them move their little legs about. Watch how happy they are at your touch, this invaluable bond that will for the first strand of their social relationships. Hold the toes and gently stretch the legs over each other. The baby will love this; do the same with the arms. A little oil massage during this exercise will also help to relax the baby. A grandma's exercise during an oil massage is to bring all the little limbs together, pull the arms and legs over the tummy and with a clap and a smile, just leave them go… babies love the fuss, the noise and of course, the muscles will be adequately stretched too. These movements are helping the muscle to grow and strengthen. The touch is invaluable too.

Over the next two years, you will be the source of the child’s exercise. By the age of two, they can start gentle stretching and simple exercises. These can help in their growth as well as mental and emotional relaxation … the kids of today need that for all the stress they live with, school, pressure to perform, pressure to behave, pressure to compete, after school activities…God knows they need all the relaxation they can get.

Here are some simple ways to relax their minds as well as muscles:

Deep Relaxation- Pranayam encourages deep relaxation of the sense by becoming aware of the breathing process. This might get complicated for a child, so helping them concentrate on something pleasant may be a better idea. So, the child can lie down, on a mat or a carpet on her back, legs and arms straight and on the side. Ask her to breathe gently, eyes closed, and see in front of them, a warm sandy beach, waves lapping close by, a deep blue sky on top. Ask her to listen … she can hear the lapping of waves, the whisper of breeze; the cries of the seagulls….this could be done for a couple of minutes. The child will be adequately relaxed by then. (Alternately, ask the child to imagine herself on a swing on a warm, sunny afternoon …back and forth, back and forth…)

Another meditation can be done sitting down, eyes closed, legs crossed, back straight and arms resting on the lap. Slightly older children could do this type of meditation. Take deep breaths counting in as one count and out as second count. In this manner count fifty or more counts. Finally, take a very deep breath in and then slowly leave it, open your eyes, stand up and stretch. The same meditation can be done while walking at an even pace, arms swinging comfortably.

SIMPLE EXERCISES

After relaxation of the body and the mind, begin the simple physical exercises. To keep the child interested, each of them can be identified with an animal or something about it. The first could be an impersonation of a camel ride – the child should sit cross legged and hold the toes. Then, in this position, as she breathes in, she can stretch her body forward and as she breathes out, curve it inwards. The rolling movement is very interesting for the child. The speed could be increased with the number of moves. This is a great exercise for keeping the back muscles strong and supple.

Another good exercise is what is called the Sarpasan , the position of the Snake. Deceptively simple, the child can lie on her stomach, flat on the ground, with her arms flexed at the elbow and hands by her shoulder. Slowly, ask her to breathe out, then lift her head and curve her back, so the head is bending towards the back. Then, with her breathing in she can left her feet, bent at the knees… ask her to bring her toes up, to touch her head. This is an excellent exercise for a supple back, strong abdominal muscles and a good digestion.

Trumpeting like that favorite beast, the elephant will be a very pleasurable activity for any kid. Ask her to stand straight, bend forward with arms hanging down, clasping the palms together. Now she can walk or run around the room, swinging the trunk in front. The finally could be the lifting up of the trunk and letting out a LOUD TRUMPET.

Becoming a fish is every kid’s fantasy, ever since Nemo went around so relaxed and carefree in the depths of the ocean. Ask your child to be Nemo, sitting on her heels, then lying down on her back, the legs bent in the same manner. Let her arms keep lying on her side, and relax for a few minutes. This exercise is good for the muscles of the legs, calves and hamstring, and also helps relax.

These are just a few ideas, but these and a number of other exercises serve to maintain a healthy lifestyle for the child, even into adulthood. Children have this inbuilt ability to be enthusiastic about everything they do, whether it is being their favorite animals, or doing something more on traditional lines, like breathing relaxation, holding their tubby little legs up in the classic Padmasana, stretching their entire body in a sarpasana, or even standing on their heads in a sheersh asana (of course, under adult supervision). Mixing fun with these gems of ancient wisdom can go a long way in helping the child develop a great body, supple limbs and flexible tendons and muscles, not to mention mastering the art of relaxation so critical for the changing world environment, getting successively more stressful. This is a gift that they can never lose, the basis for a happy, relaxed life.
           By Kanika Goswami
Published: 12/6/2004 

Girl Child Needs More Health
As the source of the coming generations, the girl child needs to be better looked after, nutritionally at least. How far is this being done??
While in most developed countries, there is little if any discrimination between the girl and the boy child as far as nutrition is concerned, a very large proportion of girl child population in developing and economically weaker countries suffers from malnutrition. This is a fact corroborated by statistics, the result of researches of various agencies. But here the factors are completely cultural, in Asian, Latin American and some African cultures, a premium is placed on the boy baby and his upbringing is better monitored than a girl’s. An extreme result is female infanticide or even killing of female fetus in the womb itself. In basically agrarian societies, no one wants to be burdened with an unproductive member in the family, in partially agrarian cultures, no one wants to have a girl whose social status is far below that of the boy and in marrying whom off, the family is often crippled by debt. So, infanticide or feticide is a better option. But more on that later.

The point here is, even in societies where there is no such inferiority hoisted on girl children, do parents, family or even the health services, place greater emphasis on the nutrition provided to a young girl? She is the mother of the next generation and hence, her basic nutrition should far outweigh the boy’s. A female body needs more calcium, iron and other nutrients in its formative years, to be able to bring forth healthy children and also keep their own bodies intact. No, this is not about considering procreation as the only activity that nature meant the woman to do. This is about the biological structure of the female. Whether or not she opts to become a mother, her chemistry and hormonal conditions change around mid-life and unless she has been well fed during her childhood and adolescence, the onset of middle age can bring in umpteen complications. How many doctors warn the parents of young girls about this? For them, food is not only about building and maintaining, but also about reserving for the time when bones will begin to thin and allow crippling diseases like osteoporosis to set in, or menopausal side effects due to certain deficiencies, or even recovery post childbirth, when the body’s stores have been all but depleted.

The first thing to do is to follow a health regime STRICTLY. Aiming for a fit lifestyle (always place your needs before the family’s demands, because if you are down and out, who takes care of them??? Worse still, who takes care of you???) Secondly, it is important for a woman to maintain an optimum body weight. Right from childhood, the parents should take care that her BMI and weight is proper, or else things may be dangerous. This is the primary reason why anorexic women may be everybody’s idea of beauty but they are nobody’s idea of fitness. Keeping a regular exercise regime will help, so will sticking to the good food pyramid recommendations for a good diet.

Here are some guidelines for women to follow a good health regime in their early years, pre-puberty, puberty and child bearing years…so they may not suffer the results of self-neglect in later years.

Parents of a girl should instill these values in their child early, preferably before puberty, so the routine can become a healthy lifelong habit. While binging and obesity have to be avoided, staving and anorexia are to be avoided too. So a good guidance from elders (parents or whoever they will listen to), is essential. Here, a lot of psychological factors are important too. The girl child must be taught the value of confidence, faith in one’s abilities and also that beauty is not about a thin body or a particular type of skin. This is definitely an onerous task, what with the regular bombardment of impossible idols for the young generation in media of every type. But a sustained, caring and intelligent guidance from elders who care can help instill the sense of "I Should be HEALTHY First…"in the girl. It goes a long way in fighting peer pressure for confirming to social (read POP) idols, when she feels she is good enough, even BETTER than Twiggy.

There are also certain sociological changes over the last few decades that have affected the way we eat… and the way kids want to eat. Changes in the traditional family pattern have encouraged teenagers to shop for groceries, where their decision making powers get a free hand. Single parent or both parents working families may opt for a healthy food buy, but what is actually eaten is still not very determinable, in the absence of one or both parents. Teen food choices are influenced by too many factors, only one of them being health. Their concern is primarily to "look good" or "stay thin" or "build muscles".

The sad part is that the American Diet isn’t designed to take care of the essential requirements of the growing body, it has the wrong kind of fats and proteins and is deficient in some essential nutrients like zinc. It relies very strongly on dairy products for its calcium and protein intake, which is in itself not a very healthy idea. Today nutritionists recommended smaller helpings of the All American Diet or low fat (or leaner) versions, at least for the growing up generation.

Remember, food grains and fresh fruits and vegetables are a MUST for a woman’s body, se needs more folate in her system, her childbearing capability demands it (even if she chooses not to bear children). Fresh fruits and vegetables are a MUST in every meal, and no, meat is no substitute for fresh fruits. The intake of sugars and salts should be regulated as also oil and grease. This will also result in a glowing skin, a GREAT confidence booster and hence a really good incentive to eat healthy.

The objective for vegetable and fruit intake should be :

• At least three daily servings of fruit

• At least four daily servings of vegetables, with at least one-third greens or with carotene.

• Six or more daily servings of grain products, with three or more whole grain

Anemia (or deficiency of iron in the body), is a major cause of deaths in the child bearing category of females in most underdeveloped countries. A more serious charge is that it is also the cause of most deficiencies, malnourishment and mal-development of children in these countries. But anemia is not a poor man’s disease. It can follow even well fed children of affluent backgrounds, if they do not eat carefully. Specially during their reproductive years, women need extra iron (they lose almost 20 to 40 mg every month by way of menstruation). The absorption of these nutrients needs more nutrition, a good amount of folic acid as well as Vitamin B 12.

Calcium is another nutrient that is required in large quantities for growing girls, if they are to enable their bodies to fight back the onslaught of osteoporosis in later life. Adolescents (specially girls), need at least 1300 mg of calcium in their food everyday. It is a good idea to scan the food labels to know if the nutritive value of your food is what it should be. For instance, a glass of milk gives about 450 mg (almost 30%) of calcium while a cup of yoghurt does a similar amount. Green leafy vegetables and calcium fortifies grains and juices can contribute the rest. Remember, women start losing bone mass at the age of 35, so the earlier you start, the better it is.

The health of a girl child should become every National Health Service’s priority if the country wants its future citizens to be strong and healthy. On a smaller scale, families should be taught this too, only then will the change in attitude be brought about.
           By Kanika Goswami
Published: 11/19/2004