Since lupus is both genetic & environmental, I tell my oldest son there is very little chance he will get lupus period, end of story so he does not spend his life worrying.  Statistically, there is only a 10% chance and it is much less common in boys than girls.  I am determined to keep their environmental trigger risks low with a couple of rules.  I tell him the doctor told Mommy there are 2 things that it is important that kids who have a parent with lupus do: 

1)  Always  wear sufficient sunscreen - no exceptions for how long outside or what the weather is like.

2)  Eat well & limit sugar intake

Top 10 Worst Foods for Kids to Eat:

One-third of all U.S. children are overweight or obese, according to the TeensHealth web page. The main cause is overeating, with little regard to the actual nutrition offered by the food. Changing eating habits is not easily done, but minor changes in the type of food consumed can quickly reduce the amount of calorie intake each day. Eliminating the worst foods is one way to improve kids' nutrition.

Hot Dogs
Hot dogs are high in fat and sodium and loaded with preservatives such as nitrates. The average dog has 464 calories with 32 percent of the daily fat, 15 percent of the cholesterol and 44 percent of the recommended daily sodium. This is balanced against the positive nutritional facts of 16 grams of protein and 8 percent of the daily dietary fiber. There are better alternatives for protein and fiber.

My oldest loves hot dogs but we only give him turkey dogs on wheat rolls to try to make it as healthy as possible.

Soda
TeenHealth classifies sodas and energy drinks as "empty" calories that you don't need. The average soda has 10 to 12 teaspoons of sugar in each 10-ounce can. Dr. Marjorie Fitch-Hilgenberg, assistant professor of dietetics at the University of Arkansas, states that soda should be treated as a dessert item, not the meal's beverage.

Our kids have had no soda and we will hold it off as long as we can. They primarily get milk or water, the only time the oldest get juice is in his lunch box for school or if he asks for it.  But no more than 1 glass a day.  Since 7 - 8 months of the year I am forced to stay inside, I want to make sure they are not having too many empty calories.  They are still very active, running around inside, but they probably have a lot more down time, especially in the summer, than most kids. 

Sticky Candy
Candy is high in sugar, and sticky candy contributes to tooth decay, according to the American Dental Association.

I didn't know this.  We don't let our oldest eat much sticky candy due to choking concerns but he does love skittles which we will stop.  I also like to know for my own reference.  I have had so many cavities in the past 4 years (due to the Sjogrens Syndrome).

Doughnuts
Doughnuts are in high calories and provide little nutritional value. Breakfast should provide nutrients to supply energy, but sugar pastries do little to provide such nutrients.

We only do this on really special days like when on vacation at Disney one day.  When he eats a donut otherwise, it is a dessert, not a meal.

Prepackaged Lunch Kits
Registered dietitian Liz Weiss reports that lunch kits are high in fat, saturated fat and sodium and low in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Many of them contain half the daily allowance of saturated fat and all of the sodium necessary for the average adult.

We have used these a couple of times for really busy school days when I don't have time to make lunch but I never liked them anyway because they have a piece of candy in a lot of them and I don't like him having candy during the day, especially at school.  Now I will never buy them.

Sugary Breakfast Cereals
Most non-vitamin fortified breakfast cereals have sugar, artificial flavors and coloring and little nutrition. The fiber and vitamins added during the cereal manufacturing can be supplied in better food choices, such as fruit.

My oldest got the taste of some yummy cereal at friends houses, my parent's house, etc. so he wanted to start buying them.  Instead of depriving him and making him want them even more, I let him get ones that have whole grain but tell them they need to mix it half Cheerios, half the other cereal so at least they are eating some good with the sugary stuff.  And if my oldest is not with me in the grocery store, I only buy good cereal that I know they still like such as raisin bran, granola, etc.

Microwavable Prepackaged Dinners
These are convenient, but are high in fat, salt and preservatives. Not only are the dinners inadequate nutrition for growing children, they fail to teach children proper eating habits or how to prepare healthy meals. The average sodium content ranges from 700 to 1,800 milligrams for each dinner, an unhealthy amount for children to consume in one meal.

We have bought Stouffer's, no preservative meals but only on occasion.  Those do not have preservatives but still a lot of sodium so it can stay on the store shelf for a long time. I wish I could make everything from scratch, maybe some day I will be organized enough, well rested enough and not flaring to do it consistently, long term.

Juice Drinks
Juice is high in sugar content, calories and acid that destroys dental enamel. Dr. Fitch-Hilgenberg warns against drinking juices that are not 100 percent juice. Fruits are a healthier option since they also provide the necessary daily fiber and additional vitamins.

French Fries
French Fries are fatty and soaked in oil. The fat count for this food averages 18 percent of the daily fat requirement and 7 percent of sodium, with only a minimal amount of dietary fiber, protein and calcium.

We have started to cut down french fries and starches in general for the kids.  When we make dinner,we make a lot of vegetables and meat, no starch.  For our fast food nights, we are getting the alternative instead of french fries like apples slices or if everyone really wants fries, we will get one small and split it between the four of us.

Toaster Pastries
Pastries have the same bad effect as doughnuts: high sugar and low nutritional content. Also, many of them have preservatives that allow the product to be stored for a year or more.

The kids have never had these but the oldest does eat dessert every day and it is usually the pre-packaged, high preservative sugary something or other.  I am going to try to make more dessert and store it for him.  I have a sweet tooth too so I hate have a lot of sweet stuff in the house  but homemade is definitely better for us lupies too.

xoxo

Lupus Celebrity