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My kids love to cook.
It started when they were very young and I’d ask them to stir jello, make play-dough, or dump measured ingredients into the bowl to make muffins or cookies. These days we have assigned evenings where they are the designated ‘sous-chef’ and get to help with dinner doing everything from setting the table and pouring the water, to chopping the vegetables and puréeing the cheese and broccoli soup. A favourite activity when friends come over is to create something delectable to eat which is often inspired by the Food Network (one of my kids favourite TV channels) or by a kids cooking recipe book currently on loan from the library. This spring my son has graduated to the BBQ where he recently grilled up honey mustard chicken breast to perfection.
Yes, having my children in the kitchen requires effort and organization. Like most tasks, it would be easier if I simply did it myself. However, I’d definitely be denying them, and myself, many wonderful memories and numerous life skills. My job is to ensure that my children have all the tools necessary to live as engaged and accomplished adults. I see teaching them how to cook everything from Caesar Salad to Crock Pot Stew as part of that responsibility.
And from a yoga point of view, I’m striving to teach them good nutrition and to establish a positive relationship with food. When helping in the kitchen, kids interact with their food on a totally different level. By taking the raw ingredients, discussing basic nutrition requirements, and learning how to combine different flavours to create wonderful dishes, children take charge of what they are putting on the table and into their bodies.
What Kids Learn When Cooking
Involving kids in the kitchen develops a host of skills. These include:
Following directions – reading and following a recipe
Basic arithmetic – measuring ingredients or doubling (tripling for cookies) a recipe
Vocabulary enrichment – ingredients, tools, and directions all provide new and interesting vocabulary
Sensory stimulation – tastes, textures, and smells in great variety come from the kitchen
Cause and effect – leave out one ingredient and see what happens
Cooperation – working together and waiting their turn
Sanitation – cleanliness and safe food handling skills come with the territory
Confidence – empower kids with cooking skills that will last a lifetime
Creativity – express kids unique tastes with their own recipes/kitchen creations
Ground Rules for Cooking with Kids
Here are a couple of suggestions for getting your kids into the kitchen.
Safety first – never leave children unattended in the kitchen. Your supervision is essential and your children’s well being always comes first.
Never assume that children know how to handle a knife or when something is ‘safe’ or ‘unsafe’. Establish safety ground rules which are age and ability appropriate.
Provide your child with their own kitchen utensil kit such as the Kid’s Cookware Kit - I haven’t done this but think it is a brilliant idea to foster independence and ownership.
Start with a clean kitchen and keep a sink of warm soapy water ready to clean-up as you go along. Cleaning up is part of cooking so don’t let your kids escape once the dish is made without washing up and wiping off.
Make it fun! If you or the children are getting frustrated try again another time or with a different recipe. This is a time to connect, share, and explore the wonder of creating good things to eat while spending time together.
Cooking With Kids Websites
Spatulatta is a great website that teaches kids to cook. Hosts Liv and Belle provide over 350 videos of how kids can make a variety of healthy and nutritious foods including vegan & vegetarian options, comfort foods, holiday specials and more.
For the little ones (ages 2-5) learning to prepare food uses all their senses and exploits their desire to please. It gets them fully involved with their food and with helping around the home. A win-win for sure. Cooking with Children: Kids in the Kitchen offers suggestions for age appropriate tasks and recipes even the youngest children can help prepare.
Cooking With Kids is a school based program that uses hands-on methods to teach elementary students about the joy of delicious healthy foods. From tasting classes which introduce kids to food they may never have had before, to getting local chefs to donate their time and talent to schools, this innovative program brings fresh and healthy options into the classroom.
On Monday, March 8th John Friend, founder of AnusaraYoga and pre-eminent yoga teacher, gave a lecture at USC, Health Science Campus, entitled ”Yogic Prescription for Health.” This was the first lecture of a series to bridge the gap between western medicine and homeopathy. Having grown up with a homeopathic Grandmother, I find western and eastern medicine wonderfully complementary. Each can build off of the strengths of the other.
Friend underlined how yoga can assist western medicine by working on balancing the whole person, increasing mobility, and cultivating a positive, loving attitude. He said:
A patient’s mental state is now acknowledged as a key contributor to physical health. Yoga helps develop a positive, strong-willed attitude.
Natacha Sagalovsky Lovering was able to attend the event and graciously shared her notes with Yoga In My School. Our favourite concept was:
John stresses that there is a pulsating consciousness that underlies everything that is physical, our bodies (and everything in this physical world) are made up of an energy that is supremely intelligent, that is orderly and that doesn’t want us to suffer, it is benevolent. Our body knows where proper alignment is, and how to heal itself if we give it space and help it pulsate. Bend over, twist, move around – get your blood, cerebrospinal fluid and lymph system moving – increase your vitality so that the cells and organs in your body can pulsate. Stand up straight, give your spine a healthy curve, don’t collapse into your lungs and heart, they need space! Cultivate a positive and life affirming attitude, and never underestimate the power of a caring look, a loving touch, a sweet smile, kind words and humor.
What a wonderful way to approach health and well-being. Here is a sample of John Friend’s teaching as he encourage us to cultivate a positive mind set and say “Yes” to life.
February is Teacher Convention Month in Alberta, Canada. This is a time for teachers to enrich themselves personally and professionally. I teach various workshops to help teachers bring yoga into their schools and lives. Each workshop lasts approximately 75 minutes at conventions, but are ideally suited for 2-3 hour in-service sessions. Here are a few workshops which can be used for in-service or PD Days. If you are interested in learning more or in booking a workshop for your group/school please contact donna@yogainmyschool.com
Once Upon a Pose
Yoga stories for children fulfill numerous curriculum requirements and are a fun, fully interactive teaching methodology. Learn how to use basic yoga poses in story format to enrich the classroom experience, improve physical fitness, reduce stress, increase attention span, and engage students on a totally different level. Stories in French also provided. A fun, high energy workshop with great ideas to use today. Come prepared to actively participate. K-6 applications in Language Arts, Social Studies, Math, Science, Art, Music and PE. Also meets the DPA Requirement.
Yoga for Teens
The ancient practise of yoga can have a tremendous positive impact on adolescents. Benefits include improved self-esteem, better academic performance, increased attention span, and greater stress management. This fully interactive workshop will progress through seven types of yoga poses (standing, balance, forward bends, back bends, inversions, twists and arm balancing) as well as include relaxation techniques and breathing exercises. Come prepared to actively participate and discover how to use yoga with your students. Applications to Physical Education, Fit for Life, CALM, Physics, Biology, Algebra, Social Studies, English, Foreign Languages, Drama, Counselling and school athletic teams.
Yoga with a Chair
Yoga with a Chair is a fun way to work yoga into your everyday routine. Reduce fatigue, prevent carpel tunnel, improve posture, strengthen your core, and open your hips all while using a standard chair. This workshop will surprise you as you discover the many adaptations to the poses and the incredible workout you can get while sitting down. Come prepared to participate and leave with numerous tips and techniques on how to use yoga at the office, in the classroom or while in a wheel chair.
These are just a few of the possible Professional Develoment workshops offered. For a complete listing of in-service workshops visit the In-service Page.
Teens these days are very diet conscious. However, many have adopted destructive habits such as skipping meals, fasting, smoking or using laxatives (see How Yoga Helps Teens Battle Eating Disorders). Parents and teachers need to make sure they are teaching their teens how to have a positive relationship with food and body image. Here are 20 dirty diet tricks that will help teens maintain, or achieve, good health in a positive way.
don’t eat while standing – you don’t wear off more calories by standing (common myth) and your brain doesn’t register the food you are ingesting (mindless snacking a big no-no); sit down and enjoy a meal/snack instead of nibbling
don’t eat more than a palm’s worth of anything – portion control is important and your hand is always available to measure by
munch while you grocery shop – if you forgot to eat before shopping, snag a bag of baby carrots & munch while filling the basket – ring up the empty bag
do traffic light isometrics - while waiting at a red light tone buttocks & abs by clenching until light turns green, you’ll learn quickly which red lights in town are the longest
enjoy gorgeous nails – give yourself a manicure when food cravings hit – hands are pretty and out of trouble
go monochrome - use colour to your advantage by dressing from top to bottom in one unbroken vertical line=instantly taller and thinner, this really works well with sophistocated dark colours (navy, gray, black, chocolate)
don’t eat and…(read, watch TV, work, study) – being mindful about what you put in your mouth makes it more satisfying, tune into what you put in your mouth and enjoy every morsel to its fullest
sign up for a fund-raising walk-a-thon or bike-a-thon – enlist sponsors and get moving, you’ll be motivated, be helping others and have a deadline which is good for body & soul
live the 80/20 rule – eating healthily 80% of the time allows for small indulgences the remaining 20%, also don’t beat yourself up when you do indulge (we all do) just count it as your 20 percent and return to eating healthy
keep it small- never order anything involving the words “deluxe,” “supersize” or “jumbo” – order small sizes of everything especially at a fast food outlets and the coffee shop
start a healthy cooking club – exchange recipes & ideas with like minded friends and celebrate success together, you’ll be developing skills and habits you’ll use throughout your life and will have a great cache of healthy eating recipes for when you move out
love soup – enjoy a steaming bowl of broth based soup before your meal – it’ll fill you up and quench your hunger
employ mind games – cut your sandwich into quarters or use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate to fool yourself into thinking you are eating more - mind games work, use them
always buy thin crust pizza – deep dish is trouble and will go straight to your thighs – ugh!
drink water – you’ll stay hydrated and feel fuller as well as avoid the unneeded sugar in sodas or the caffiene in coffee & colas
smuggle healthy snacks into the movie theatre – you’ve got a big bag, use it for good
always bring a guilt free option to get togethers- a fruit or veggie platter are always hits, or if you want to indulge, raid your stash of healthy recipes from #14 and whip up a divine low fat, low sugar option of your fav dessert
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Christmas morning dawned amid blue skies and hoar frost. It was a balmy -15 celsius out, so I snagged my husband’s Nikon and the dog and went to explore a nearby park. Here are some photos from my walking meditation to celebrate the season.
Eating disorders are more prevalent than Alzheimer’s disease. “In the United States, as many as 10 million females and 1 million males are fighting a life and death battle with an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia. Millions more are struggling with binge eating disorder (Crowther et al., 1992; Fairburn et al., 1993; Gordon, 1990; Hoek, 1995; Shisslak et al., 1995).” This is especially prevalent in the teenage population where, “Over one-half of teenage girls and nearly one-third of teenage boys use unhealthy weight control behaviors such as skipping meals, fasting, smoking cigarettes, vomiting, and taking laxatives (Neumark-Sztainer, 2005).”
With those kind of statistics it was good news last week when Time magazine brought to our attention, with this article, scientific proof from the Journal of Adolescent Health that yoga helps those struggling with eating disorders. (Shout out to YogaDork and Yoga Buzz for highlighting this.)
Yoga has proven to be highly therapeutic and relatively non-threatening when working with those struggling with eating disorders. It provides a gentle awakening of the mind with a soft embrace of the body as it helps to re-establish the connection between the mind and body which can become highly disengaged for individuals with eating disorders. Yoga’s focus on fostering self love and helping to eliminate negative emotions while developing body awareness and acceptance make it an ideal therapy.
Physically yoga helps as it is a non-aerobic form of exercise. In other words it gets the blood flowing, releases positive chemicals into the brain which help overcome anxiety and depression, is weight bearing (a necessity for anorexics who may be at risk for osteoporosis), and doesn’t lead to weight loss but helps build and tone the body. In addition, it is a skill which can be kept up throughout life promoting health and vitality for years to come.
One further benefit of yoga class for teens struggling with eating disorders is that it is a forum for discussion. Topics such as personal boundaries, comfort zones, levels of trust, body image and others can find voice in a safe and nurturing environment.
For more information on how you can help those struggling with eating disorders visit the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) and download a copy of their Educator Tool Kit.
You may also appreciate the article Moving Again, a personal account of how yoga aided Margaret E. Juliano’s in her fight to good health.
