Teaching the fundamentals of holistic nutrition and wellness to the 4^th graders at the I Have a Dream program in the South Bronx, was an unbelievably rewarding experience. Anne Citrin, Yoga Instructor and Holistic Health Counselor, and I taught 36 children every week for 10 weeks as part of an after school program at the Melrose Community Center.  We covered a holistic-minded food pyramid, the human body and the functions of all the organs, yoga, energetics of food, physical fitness and exercise, the harmful effects of sugar, whole foods vs. processed foods, healthy snack and healthy meal options and how to prepare these healthy foods.

The kids arrived each day with big smiles on their faces.  When we would review the material from the previous week, they shocked us with their knowledge, remembering facts that even we had forgotten.  We would engage them in yoga and breathing exercises at the start and in the middle of each 1 and ˝ hour class.  They were eager to learn how to increase their concentration and ability to relax.

Each week, we had the children keep track of the foods that they ate, in a food diary.  They would list whether the food was a carbohydrate, protein, fruit, vegetable, or fat and sweet.  We noticed very positive changes, as we progressed through the program, such as less fruit juices and more actual fruits, more water consumption, eating breakfast more regularly (at the start of the program, nearly a third of the students skipped breakfast) and more wholesome carbohydrates (example, whole wheat toast instead of Fruit Loops).

The students enjoyed the two healthy-food cooking lessons we gave and some of them tried the recipes at home.  One girl claimed “My mother loved the oatmeal cookies, but my father, we still have to work on him.”   Overall, the children loved the fact that they could prepare easy healthy foods.  We chose ingredients that would be easily accessible for them given the neighborhood in which they resided.

Throughout the program, we had two information sessions with the parents.  They were eager to learn what their children were learning so that they could implement healthier options into their children’s meal repertoires.  They were also very inquisitive about relaxation and yoga techniques that their children were learning as well as easy ways to incorporate exercise into their busy lives. 

What we witnessed through teaching at I Have a Dream is phenomenal.  We saw young children gaining imperative knowledge that will help them maintain healthy bodies and minds for years to come.  We witnessed the passing of this knowledge onto their parents, which further assures positive changes in the children’s health and well-being.  Children across America deserve the chance to LEARN about healthy foods and lifestyles.  With this type of knowledge under their belts, there is no doubt that we can reverse some of the unhealthy trends that are affecting children across the country.