How to Eat Like a Caveman : Paleo Pot Roast & Mashed Cauliflower for Kids

When I listen to my adult patients, I can often commiserate with many common barriers that affect the nutritional quality of their diet. Themes include being overworked, having a lot of stress, and feeling tired all the time. For many well-intentioned adults, it is hard to prioritize eating healthfully in the modern age. 

However, my heart really aches when I hear some of the stories that my pediatric patients relate. Many American kids today are starving for real nutrition and being poisoned by processed foods. Parents' work is so consuming that they really have no idea what their kids are eating. As a result, kids are often left to fend for themselves. Many kids skip breakfast. Still others eat breakfast and lunch for free at school. While special nutritional programs for indigent families are well intentioned, they are actually part of the problem.   

The other day, I was speaking to a pair of young sisters, each afflicted with morbid obesity. At the ages of eight and ten, they already manifested health problems due to their weight, including elevations in cholesterol and blood sugar. I asked them what they ate for breakfast. They said that they usually skipped, but if they made it to school they delighted in eating Bosco sticks. I didn't know what a Bosco stick was, so I asked. A Bosco stick is essentially a pizza rolled into a breadstick. I asked them what they ate for lunch. The reply was cheese pizza, usually washed down with chocolate milk. Halfway through their day, these kids had yet to have any real nutrition. 

Today's kids are more familiar with manmade products like Bosco sticks than they are real food like plants and protein. The diets of so many kids is so devoid of essential vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, it's no wonder that some require supplements like Flintstones vitamins. The irony is instead of taking Flintstone sugar pills, kids today would be much better off if they simply ate their vitamins and minerals from real food, like we used to do when we were cavemen. In the following video, I take a page right out of history and show you how to make a Paleo pot roast that your kids will love. 

https://youtu.be/FrxZCBXYsW8

How to Make a Healthy Breakfast Egg Sandwich For Kids - A Truly Happy Meal

 

The other day, my kids came back from a visit to Old MacDonald's farm. They were excited to tell me about how much fun they had. I listened eagerly to their musings. First, they were greeted by a jolly figure with a beatific smile. Then, they waited in line for the main attraction. Each of them were handed a box called a Happy Meal with a toy...hey wait a minute! What kind of farm was this?!?

My face fell. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a crumpled up brown bag featuring the villainous golden arches I have come to hate. McDonald's is uniquely ubiquitous in our environment and our culture. It starts early. My mom used to bring me to McDonald's when I was a kid as a rare "special treat." I even have old photos of myself celebrating my birthday at McDonald's, clown and all. 

Kids are routinely assaulted by McDonald's commercials. McDonald's spent $963 million in 2011, which is the most by any restaurant brand. In fact, McDonald's accounts for one-sixth of all money spent on restaurant advertising.  

This is what parents are up against. Fortunately, there are trends that the tide is turning. Children's hospitals across America are finally starting to close their doors to McDonald's franchises. And, sales at the restaurant giant have been declining over the past three years. 

I hope these positive trends continue. Instead of golden fries, I hope kids will choose green veggies. Instead of opting for an egg McMuffin sandwich, I hope kids will choose to eat the eggs and hold the muffin. One day, instead of kids asking their parents to go to McDonald's, I hope they will ask to see Old MacDonald's farm--a farm to table restaurant where kids can learn where their food comes from and have a truly happy meal. 

https://youtu.be/FhGrB4p80dY

References

http://www.businessinsider.com/this-one-statistic-shows-how-much-mcdonalds-tries-to-entrench-itself-in-everybodys-minds-2012-3

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/healthcare/091611_Childrens-Hospital-is-Closing-its-McDonalds-Restaurant.html

http://www.wndu.com/news/indiana/headlines/McDonalds-to-close-at-Ind-childrens-hospital-236487231.html

http://money.cnn.com/2015/07/23/investing/mcdonalds-earnings-sales-down/

http://fortune.com/2015/04/22/mcdonalds-sales-decline/

How to Get Kids to Eat Healthy - Super Food Pop For Super Eaters

Sometimes I get frustrated when my kids don't do what I tell them to do. Alright, I always get frustrated when my kids won't do as they are told. And then I realized, if something always frustrates me, perhaps I need to try another method. I was watching Super Why with my kids the other day, and it dawned on me that I've been going about things all wrong.

If you've ever seen shows like Super Why, Blues Clues, or Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, then you know that the premise is to ask the viewer a direct question. I recently read that computer animated cartoons do not actually improve kids' language acquisition. Apparently, those kind of programs are generally much too passive. On the other hand, programs that engage kids by asking them direct questions seem to involve kids better. I enjoy watching my kids not only respond out loud to these programs, but get excited when they answer the questions correctly.

One of the problems with traditional medical practices is the idea that the medical expert should be doing all the advising. With all the expert advice being doled out, sometimes the patient's thoughts can get lost in the process. When it comes to helping someone adopt healthful habits, asking is a better strategy than telling. I learn a lot from my patients and gain a lot of insight into their personal situation when I remind myself to ask, rather than tell.

You can help your kids eat better by asking them. What foods are good for them and what foods are bad for them? Which healthier option would they be willing to try? What new foods are they wiling to try? Would they be interested in going grocery shopping or cooking with you? Would they try making and eating a Super Pop? If you ask your kids, you might just be surprised what answers you get.

https://youtu.be/aXSemWSGCZ8

Healthy Grilled Thai Chicken Recipe

Grilled Thai Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 lbs Chicken Breast
• 1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
• 3 Tablespoons Fish Sauce
• 1.5 Tablespoons Curry Powder
• 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
• Chopped Cilantro

Directions

1. Marinate Chicken in fish sauce, curry powder, canola oil, and black pepper overnight.                                                                  
2. Grill Breasts till cooked through, or dice up and stir-fry.
3. Top with chopped cilantro.

How to Cook Healthy Grilled Thai Chicken For Kids : From Your "Celebrity" Chef

 

"Doctor Ko!" shouts a voice in the crowd, one weekend while I was out with my family. This is the burden of notoriety that comes from being a minor celebrity. As a blogger, vlogger, and author, I am flooded with weekly comments from my aunt as well as random posts from people attempting to advertise their own blog or product. I always laugh when I see someone else trying to use my feeble web traffic to promote themselves. Nonetheless, I remain wholly committed to the twenty-six followers of my blog and to my ever enlarging YouTube community. My channel now has a following that is measured in three--count them--three digits! As Donald Trump would say, that's not braggadocio, that's just the facts.

Occasionally, my celebrity opens up exclusive doors of opportunity that aren't accessible to the general public. For instance, when I proposed a talk at Gum Spring library, the librarian said, "Well, we recently had Dr. Neal Barnard and that was a great talk. I suppose we could have you come talk as well." You see, it pays to be part of an exclusive club of medical celebrities.

Recently, my children's daycare, the Falls Church Mclean Children's Center, contacted me to perform at their annual fundraiser. I am indebted to the excellent care that this center's teachers give to my kids. In fact, I was all set to sign my family up for their 1K walk, but then I realized that I would be the only one walking. I pictured myself listening to Colin whine the whole way while I carried an additional thirty pounds of dead weight. Instead, I opted to volunteer my services to sing and promote wellness.

I was actually kind of excited to perform for the kids. I figured I could feature some of my most popular dishes from my blog. I cheerfully asked, "How many people do you expect?"
"We expect about three hundred people," came the reply. Oh. Well, I usually cook for less people than that. No matter. I figured I would cook up my greatest hits like the best broccoli of your life, cauliflower mac n' cheese, Thai grilled chicken, coconut quinoa, and nutritional yeast popcorn. Everyone would get exactly one spear of broccoli, one spear of cauliflower, a bite of chicken, a spoonful of quinoa, and a kernel of popcorn.

In the end, thanks to help from Cassie and several volunteers, I was able to sample all of these dishes. It was a fun time and for a minute there, I felt like a celebrity chef catering for a big foodie event. I want to thank Falls Church Mclean Children's Center for putting on a great fundraiser and giving me an opportunity to give back to the community.  

https://youtu.be/CGgJaR24lS0

How to Make Healthy Energy Bars With No Added Sugar For Kids

 

If I had to give myself a grade for parenting, it would be, "Needs Improvement." This may surprise you since I am an absolute delight with my kids on my YouTube videos. That's the power of editing. I was listening to an NPR interview of Sonia Manzano, who played "Maria" on Sesame Street for forty-four years. When asked how similar Sonia is to the iconic character she played, she said that Maria is the more patient, caring, and better version of herself.

One of the reasons I enjoy doing videos is that "Doctor Chris Ko" represents the better version of the kind of parent I strive to be. In actuality, I struggle mightily to be a good parent. I fight to control my temper on a daily basis. I have to constantly remind myself to work on my communication style. And, I have regular exercises in patience building. If only I could edit out all the mistakes I've made as a parent.

I recently read a couple of books by Martin Seligman, a noted psychologist who discovered learned helplessness and founded the positive psychology movement. From Dr. Seligman, I learned that I had a bad habit of calling Colin a "Bad boy" when he misbehaved. Such labeling can have a negative effect on the way he thinks about himself. Instead, now I try to be specific about calling the behavior bad, not the boy.

I also recently started playing "Dreamland" with Colin, a bedtime ritual espoused by Dr. Seligman. During this nightly game, I ask Colin what was bad and good about his day. Last night, Colin said that one bad thing was when he didn't share a toy with his sister, Cailya. He went on to describe how he felt in that situation, how he walked away to calm himself down, and how he was later able to return to the situation. I was surprised and impressed with the insight he expressed. Afterward, he said that he would dream about how good it feels to listen to me and his mom. Stay tuned. I'll let you know how this story turns out.

In an effort to become the dad I want to be, I decided to channel one of my role models growing up...Mr. Fred Rogers. Always patient and always kind, Mr. Rogers believed in the unique potential of each and every child. In this video, I invite you to join me in Dr. Ko's neighborhood, a positive food environment where kids can thrive eating 3-ingredient energy bars with no added sugar.

https://youtu.be/E-WVzAMZYQA

How to Make a Quick and Healthy Microwave Steamed Egg Breakfast For Your Kids

 

I wake up feeling unusually well rested. Through the window, I see the beautiful glow of the morning sun. Oh no. I'm late! I've just been snookered by the AM/PM button. I frantically rush into Cailya's room and immediately start barking out orders. She responds with a yawn and a drawn out arm stretch. I run into the boy's room in a hot panic. He gives me a blank stare, then scratches his butt.

After significant effort, I am finally able to wrangle them out of bed. I brush their hair and teeth and get them dressed. I plead with them to go potty. Little miss does some heavy negotiating. She doesn't listen to me, but she eventually listens to Yoda when he promises her a special treat. Colin refuses to go altogether, only to later scream, "Pee pee!  I need to go pee pee!" when he gets downstairs.

I rush to get their breakfast started. Given the time constraints, I decide to whip up my famous one minute twenty-four second steamed egg in the microwave. One egg, one-quarter cup water, one teaspoon of soy sauce, and one minute twenty-four seconds later, a perfectly steamed egg is ready for breakfast. Cailya demands to eat her egg on the floor like a dog, but at least she eats it. Thankfully, Colin quickly gulps down his egg. I take a big sigh of relief. We survived the morning!

https://youtu.be/d-iSWINacVE