Children's parties - Some points to think about

Think of your child as the beautiful child they are (or were): would you have the courage to kill them or do anything that could hurt them? I think the answer is: of course not! But what if you are actually harming her health without even realizing it? After all, it's assumed that a child's parents are responsible for their actions and choices, right? But how are your choices for your child, given that what you give them, allow or forbid them, but above all, your example, what you show them, will help shape their character, their lifestyle and, therefore, their future? Well... I'm sorry to inform you that by trying to please, you may be making your child ill... Let's see how.

A child's birthday is a very special moment, especially because they know they'll be able to play, eat and drink a lot, without too many restrictions. But if any excess is bad for every living organism, why should it be any different for children? And it isn't, no matter how innocently we allow it. The three main sins committed at children's parties (yes, also by parents) are excesses of sugar, bad fats and soft drinks.

✅ SUGAR

Things you probably already know about him:

• Its excess can lead the pancreas to exhaustion and/or insulin resistance, thus causing type 2 diabetes mellitus, a well-known disease that can lead to multiple disabilities and even death.

• The more sugar you consume, the more fat you produce and the less time you live.

• The most fattening diet is not the one rich in fats, but in carbohydrates, especially simple ones such as sugar-rich sweets.

• The brain can develop a dependency on sugar, becoming really dependent on it and usually requiring ever-increasing amounts on a daily basis.

• A common effect is that the more sugar you consume, the more psychomotor agitation occurs (short-lived, except in children and the elderly); excess literally messes up brain function.

• Sugar is closely linked to causing and maintaining an inflammatory state in the body.

Do you think it's any different with your child? At the party, they consume sugar in the most diverse forms, for hours and often excessively, but it doesn't stop there: they take home stocks to spend days consuming even more sweets, after passing the famous (and regrettable, in my opinion) “table of treats”, as well as the traditional souvenir at the end of the party, which rarely doesn't contain any more sweets. Not to mention dyes, stabilizers, flavour enhancers and additives in general, which are also harmful. Is it just a coincidence that so many children have food allergies/intolerances and so many “ites” these days?

✅ BAD FATS

Things you probably already know about them:

• These are called saturated fats or “trans” fats - saturated fats are more involved in inflammation and clogging of blood vessels, especially arteries, when oxidized, and trans fats intoxicate the body and impair liver function.

• As soon as they enter the body, their harmful effects begin, meaning that from the very first feedings, children exposed to them gradually start to have their arteries inflamed and clogged.

• Fried foods are important sources of these fats and are difficult/ slow to digest.

• Even so-called “good” fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) turn bad when exposed to high temperatures.

• The brain is addicted to fats, missing them and demanding larger and larger doses every day; after all, fatty foods tend to be the tastiest.

• In excess, the body uses less of the “good fats” to build hormones and cell membranes; the result: bad raw materials = a more inflamed and fragile body.

• Studies show that the process of arteries becoming clogged with fatty plaques begins in the first year of life.

Do you really think it's any different with your child? At parties, most snacks are either fried or made with a high amount of hydrogenated (trans) and saturated fat. Do you really believe that the frying oil is new or changed frequently? And for hours, those present abuse it.

✅ SOFT DRINKS

Here are the adjustments to the topics according to your instructions:

• The “normal” ones are rich in sugar (see various harmful effects above), which reaches the blood in a matter of minutes, causing overload.

• They contain many acids which alter the pH of the body (especially the intestine) and increase the loss of minerals.

• If they are carbonated, they increase the distension of the stomach, thus slowing down digestion - in fact, in short, they impair digestion.

• Even light and diet foods have been linked by studies to increased hunger, liver intoxication, diabetes and even obesity.

• People who drink more soft drinks drink less water, which in itself is very harmful to the body.

• Studies show that the more soft drinks a person drinks, the more they crave them (and in greater quantities and frequency).

Do you really think it's any different with YOUR CHILD?

It's worth pointing out that these three factors (sugar, bad fats and soft drinks) are among the main villains of modern eating habits, involved in the genesis, maintenance and/or worsening of the main chronic diseases, including obesity, which is showing a huge and alarming increase worldwide, especially among children. And the chronic diseases that develop in the future begin with abuse and bad habits that recur from childhood. Do you think it's just a coincidence that young children are already going to the doctor for treatment of high cholesterol/triglycerides, hypertension, glucose intolerance (excessive exposure to sugar can lead to this early on) and even liver overload?

What's more, it's regrettable how difficult it is for conscientious parents to make their children eat healthier. And anyone who thinks that these parties are merely occasional abuses is mistaken, since it's not uncommon for there to be more than one per weekend, and dozens a year!

In short, children's parties were supposed to be a source of happiness, but in practice they are undeniably harmful to the health of everyone present. But you take care of your own health, don't you? What about the children? What about their future, because of what they do today? Let's think about this and try to be more and more responsible in small but important things: our little ones depend on this much more than we realize.

Cheers and HEALTH to all!