Your chance to meet, listen and talk to Penguin authors. Penguin Events listing provides information about author appearances, including dates, times & venues.
Dr. John Briffa is a qualified doctor and leading practitioner and author in the field of complementary medicine. He was formerly the natural health columnist for the Daily Mail, and is currently the nutrition and well-being columnist for the Observer. He has contributed to over 50 publications, and has authored several books in the field of nutrition and natural medicine including Ultimate Health - 12 Keys to Abundant Health and Happiness and Natural Health for Kids.
He runs two hospital-based practices in London where he specializes in the natural management of health and disease. Dr Briffa lectures extensively across the UK, Europe, South Africa, America and Canada, and is a regular guest on radio and TV.
Nutrition for kids
"In my experience, a healthy, balanced diet will generally go a long way to preventing and treating many of the conditions covered in the A-Z section of Natural Health for Kids. Because of this, I have summarised here the fundamental nutritional information found in much greater detail in the second part of the book. Bearing these principles in mind will almost certainly help in the management of your child’s specific problem, whatever it may be. Also, putting into practice at least some of these concepts is likely to help in the growth and development of your child, and should help to prevent many of the conditions that are common in childhood.
1 Base your child’s diet on natural, unadulterated foods 2 Avoid giving your child too much in the way of fast and unprocessed food 3 Keep the balance towards healthy foods in your child’s diet and don’t worry about the occasional treat and slip-ups 4 Ensure your child eats regular meals, perhaps with healthy snacks in between 5 Emphasise foods rich in healthy fats such as oily fish, nuts, seeds, olive oil and avocado 6 Avoid basing your child’s diet on potato and refined grains such as white bread, pasta, white rice and many breakfast cereals 7 Make water the principal drink for your child 8 Use natural methods of cooking when preparing food 9 Use stealth tactics when encouraging your child to eat healthily 10 Supplementation with nutrients is likely to have benefits for your child in the long term"
Dr John Briffa is one of Britain's foremost experts in the field of complementary medicine and regularly appears on radio and TV. His book, Natural Health for Kids, is a comprehensive and accessible natural healthcare guide for parents. In this feature, he shares his suggestions for tasty and healthy children's lunchbox and snack items...
Lunchboxes and snacks
"According to the Department of Education, most children do not eat school meals. Because of this, lunchboxes are now the only option for most younger children. For older kids, a packed lunch offers a potentially healthy alternative to the generally unhealthy foods to be found in fast food joints and chip shops. Most parents would like to believe their child is going off to school with something balanced and sustaining in their rucksacks and satchels. However, this is generally easier said than done. In an effort to lend a helping hand, I have included here some potential lunchbox items with a brief description of their nutritional attributes. In general, the quality of foods increases the further down the list you go. It seems the best way to get a child to eat more healthily is through gradual changes made with a minimum of fuss. So, if your child is a relatively picky eater, it might help to start with some suggestions at the top of the list (the least nutritious but most kid-friendly) and work your way towards items lower on the list in time.
The items in this list can also be used as snacks for children. While eating between meals is usually discouraged by the dietetic establishment, there is a considerable amount of evidence that it can help stabilise the body's chemistry and promote health. However, the quality of the snack is important. Currently, it seems as though children in the UK left to their own devices tend to snack on pretty awful stuff. In 2000, a Times survey of almost 1400 children's purchasing choices showed most money was spent on edible items.
The study found that the average child spends £6 per week on sweets, crisps and fizzy drinks, a rise of 42 per cent since the 1998 survey. Giving your child healthy snacks is no guarantee that he or she will eat them. However, if he or she has at least some of what you make easily available, the chances are that less healthy foods will naturally fall by the wayside. Plus, providing a child with healthier options at least helps educate them about nutrition and may encourage them to make better choices in the long term.
Healthy Lunch Box and Snack Item Suggestions
Peanut butter sandwich (white bread)
The grain in this bread is low in fibre and nutrients and will also tend to release sugar very quickly into the system. However, the protein-rich peanut butter in this sandwich will help temper the blood sugar surges from this bread and offers some useful nutrients, such as monounsaturated (heart-healthy) fat, potassium, magnesium and fibre.
Dried fruit (raisins or figs)
Dried fruit is not as good as fresh, but is much, much better than confectionery. Many kids, even picky ones, will eat raisins, though dried figs, dried apricots (unsulphured, preferably) and dried apple are other options.
Nut bar
Many health food stores and some supermarkets sell bars made predominantly of nuts. They can be quite sweet, but nevertheless make a better option than common-or-garden confectionery or starch-based muesli bars.
Freshly squeezed fruit juice
Fruit juice is not as good as whole fruit, mainly on account of the fact that fibre and other potentially useful nutrients can get left behind during the juicing process. However, this freshly squeezed juice is miles ahead of carbonated drinks, fruit drinks and fruit-flavoured drinks.
Organic dark chocolate
This chocolate is much lower in sugar than regular confectionery. It is also rich in substances called flavonols, which are believed to have benefits for the heart.
Smoothie
Smoothies are generally better than fruit juice, as they tend to contain pulped (whole) fruit that may retain nutritional qualities lost during juicing. These can also be a good option for kids who won't eat whole fruit.
Chicken salad sandwich on granary bread
The chicken in this sandwich will help provide the protein that is very important for growing bodies, and the granary bread is a nutritional step up from white. Putting some cucumber, lettuce or tomato in this sandwich will also help to enhance the nutritional value of this food.
Salmon salad on wholemeal bread
Compared to more refined varieties, 100 per cent wholemeal breads release sugar more slowly into the bloodstream and are richer in fibre and nutrients too. The salmon in this sandwich is rich in omega-3 fats, which have been linked with better brain function and behaviour. Sardine or mackerel are other omega-3 rich fish that make good sandwich fillings.
Bag of dried fruit and nuts
Bags of dried fruit and nuts represent a healthy lunchbox or snack item, and are much more preferable to a packet of crisps.
Hard-boiled egg
For all the scare mongering about eggs, they are a good (and relatively cheap) source of protein and other nutrients, and the evidence suggests that they can form part of a healthy diet. Recent years have seen the introduction of eggs rich in omega-3 fat, and these probably have a nutritional edge over regular varieties.
Fresh fruit
Children with adventurous palates would do well to eat a variety of fruits rotated through the week.
Crudites (e.g. carrot, cucumber and celery)
Many kids, even little ones, will eat raw veggies once they're cut up into child-friendly fingers.
Mineral water
The predominant fluid in any child's diet should be water (and preferably not from the tap). However, if mineral water seems like a stretch, fill a water bottle with tap water that has at least been filtered first."
Email Alerts
To keep up-to-date, input your email address, and we will contact you on publication
