Did you know that many health concerns impacting families could be managed, or even eliminated, with good nutrition and regular exercise?  Childhood obesity, diabetes, and even symptoms of ADD/ADHD are often the result of poor nutrition and a lack of exercise.  In addition, many families receiving medical care for these conditions do not receive sufficient nutrition education or assistance following through on the diet and exercise guidelines set by their practitioners.

We are commited to do our part to treat the epidemic of nutrition-related illnesses at all ages, especially children.  In his forty years as a pediatrician, Dr. Bill has never seen so many “Ds”: ADD, ADHD, BPD (bipolar disorder), ASD (autism spectrum disorder), and the big “D” – diabetes.  Because this epidemic is due to unhealthy lifestyles, not enough exercise, unhealthful attitudes, and unhealthy nutrition, we are determined to do what we can to educate others.

For children who are overweight or obese, in most cases, putting them on a diet is not the best solution.  This is because it starts the yo-yo cycle of dieting that so many of us have experienced.  The best way to help a child to help a child who is has a weight issue (unless they are morbidly obese) is to help them change their lifestyle and by doing so they will thin out as they grow and not be subject to the side effects of dieting.

In our Resources section, we have put together a collection of tips and information for you.  We also have a link for you to explore your family’s BMI, in our assessment section.  Keeping your children and family healthy can be challenging, whether it is confusing nutrition information or time and budget constraints, so below we have additional resources you may want to consider.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Dr. Sears’ L.E.A.N. Workshops are available to help your family

Dr. Sears’, along with exercise physiologist Sean Foy MA, all who are experienced fathers created several interactive workshops to help families embrace four key areas of health: Lifestyle, Exercise, Attitude, and Nutrition. Dr. Sears’ L.E.A.N. Workshops provide simple, easy-to-implement tools to help families make healthy choices.

• Understand all of the confusing nutrition information food manufacturers put in front of you
• Develop positive, lifelong habits
• Save money at the grocery store by choosing healthy foods that are affordable
• Make exercising together interesting and fun
• Maintain a healthy lifestyle with the help of a Certified Dr. Sears’ L.E.A.N. Coach

Pay attention to nutrition-related health concerns

We like to proactively help families address nutrition-related health concerns.

• Are those symptoms of ADD/ADHD really NDD – Nutrition Deficit Disorder?
• Which foods are most linked to behavior issues?
• How can an overweight child lose weight and maintain healthy habits for a lifetime?

Certified Dr. Sears’ L.E.A.N. Coaches

These are the instructors for Dr. Sears L.E.A.N. Workshops and other offerings to help families.  They are located in many locations throughout the United States and the world.  Find a certified coach in your area , or consider becoming a coach yourself, so that you can share Dr. Sears’ L.E.A.N. workshops with other families.

Additional information on Dr. Sears’ workshops

Each of the following Dr. Sears’ L.E.A.N. Workshops includes simple, easy-to-implement tools that make healthy lifestyles attainable, fun, and engaging for families:

Dr. Sears’ L.E.A.N. Start is a six-hour workshop series for parents or caregivers of children ages 3-12 available in a 3 or 6 week format. Parents attend workshops designed just for adults or for parents along with their children. Each class includes fun, interactive activities, lots of healthy snacks, and engaging, family-friendlyDVD segments. Participants also receive an 80-page Parents’ and Caregivers’ Guide, along with an activity book for their children.

Dr. Sears’ L.E.A.N. Essentials is a one-time, two-hour class that introduces the basic concepts of L.E.A.N. This option is ideal for busy parents who want to know more about the benefits of good nutrition in a shorter amount of time.

Dr. Sears’ L.E.A.N. Expectations is offered as three separate workshops with topics including preparing for pregnancy, eating well, prenatal exercise, and self-care–both during pregnancy and postpartum. The information in these workshops is designed for women who are considering becoming pregnant through the first few months following delivery.