Teens face immense pressure to succeed, often feeling defined by their achievements. A recent study from the Center for Digital Thriving at Harvard, Indiana University, and Common Sense Media reveals that 1 in 4 American teens struggles with burnout. On Mental Health Day, I reflected on the importance of reducing this pressure, sharing insights from my work and parenting experience to encourage a healthier, balanced approach for teens.
We have all felt “butterflies in our stomach” when nervous. This is a great example of what it’s like to get signals from our second brain. This “brain in our gut” is helping medical experts shine a light on a link between between digestion, mood, health and even the way we think. Scientists call this other brain the enteric nervous system (ENS). “These new findings may explain why a higher-than-normal percentage of people with IBS and functional bowel problems develop depression and anxiety,” Pasricha says. “That’s important, because up to 30 to 40 percent of the population has functional bowel problems at some point.” Find out more about this fascinating link between our two brains here. Per this information many people are linking probiotic use with mood, but according to John Hopkins Medicine more research is needed. Currently, more research is needed to prove taking probiotics is going to change depression or anxiety. Probiotics have many positive effects on the body, including: Find out more about pro-biotics and mood here Gut-brain axis researchprobiotics and mental healthgut health and moodIBS and anxiety linkgut brain conncectionenteric nervous system siah fried I am a Parent Health Coach. I support parents of children working through eating disorders, disordered eating, body image & nutrition challenges. With 30 years as a clinical health educator as well as 17 years as a health, nutrition, and women’s health professor, author, researcher, and family member of eating disorder survivors, I am here to help.
As a health educator for over 30 years, I have spent my career promoting healthy behaviors, to prevent chronic disease. A majority of chronic disease is caused by overweight and obesity thus, I have spent years teaching about its dangers and promoting prevention behaviors as well. However, when it comes to helping teens, we need to be especially considerate of the words we choose. As a parent or health care provider, what you say matters. If you are concerned about a teen’s weight, please choose your words carefully. Here is some advice on how to handle weight and foods concerns with a kid. WHY WORDS MATTER Avoid any mention of their weight or eating behaviors. Any comments about a kid’s weight can trigger unhealthy behaviors such as skipping meals, fasting, obsessing about calories, purging, and overexercising. Model positive body talk yourself. Be mindful about what you say about your body and weight. Make “fat” and “diet” bad words in your own vocabulary. Be mindful of mental health. Have you noticed your child being overly concerned with food, calories, or fat consumption? Have you noticed any emotional eating or negative body talk? Is it something you can help turn around or is it bigger? If your child needs a therapist, think of it as a strong tool for them to have in their ever growing tool box. It isn’t a weakness. If you notice any of these behaviors, reach out to a health professional to help your child find healthy coping techniques. Avoid teasing about what or how much they are eating. Teasing during adolescence is associated with unhealthy weight-control behaviors and binge-eating in adults. Talk about portion sizes on food labels in a positive and conversational way. Avoid lecturing or criticizing your child’s food choices. Encourage kids to listen to their body and eat when hungry and stop when full. Always encourage three meals a day. Skipping meals often leads to overeating later. TIPS FOR POSITIVE CONVERSATIONS F is the “F word” for “fat”. No need to say “obese” either. “Fat shaming” — weight bias and discrimination — is all too prevalent in our world. Discuss your effort to avoid these labels with other family members, friends and your child’s doctor and ask that they also avoid these labels. Ditch the scale. The focus should be on health, not on the number on the scale. Increased frequency of self-weighing during high school may damage a teen’s self-esteem and mental health. Frequently remind your child of their strengths and unique qualities which can help with self-esteem and even resilience when they have a challenge in their life. It will reinforce the importance of knowing our strengths so we can connect to them to help power through tough times. PROMOTING HEALTHY EATING HABITS Avoid the “D” word. Half of all teenage girls and 1 in 4 teenage boys have tried dieting. Teens who diet have lower self-esteem, feel less connected to their families and schools, and feel less in control of their lives. Dieting is a risk factor for both obesity and eating disorders. Making changes in food choices is not the same as dieting. Take your child grocery shopping to teach them how to choose foods for well-balanced meals. Demonstrate healthy food talk. No foods are bad vs. good. Rather, there are “growing foods” and “sometimes foods.” I have found kids really relate well to these categories. If you need help explaining to kids how important “growing foods” are in helping their bodies stay healthy and how they actually make kids grow, please email me for a consult Siah_fried@yahoo.com. Promoting healthy habits in teensBody Image in teensTalking to teens about healthy weightAvoiding diet talk with kidsSupporting teen mental healthHow to discuss food with teensHealthy eating habits for teensRisks of fat shaming and dieting in teensTips for positive food conversations siah fried I am a Parent Health Coach. I support parents of children working through eating disorders, disordered eating, body image & nutrition challenges. With 30 years as a clinical health educator as well as 17 years as a health, nutrition, and women’s health professor, author, researcher, and family member of eating disorder survivors, I am here to help.
WHAT IS OZEMPIC? RISKS FOR NON-MEDICAl USE See the video below for my thoughts regarding Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro when used for non-medically advised weight loss . RISKS ON BODY IMAGE AND SOCIETY It seems to be a big trend and I worry about the message it’s sending. Here is a short video of my thoughts about the dangers as I see them. Please let me know your thoughts on this topic by joining my Eating Disorder, Nutrition and Body Image Parent Support Facebook Group by clicking here and ask to join. Here is a link to an article on Ozempic
The Power of Coaching: Creating Lasting Change for Health and Parenting
Research shows that people are more likely to succeed when they make changes for their own reasons, rather than following directives that often lead to resistance. Coaching empowers individuals to take charge, fostering lasting change on their terms.
Coaching is a goal-driven process designed to help individuals achieve positive outcomes in health, parenting, or personal growth. While life and career coaching are well-established, health and parent coaching are emerging specialties. As a certified health and parent coach, I use evidence-based strategies to help clients align their strengths and values with their goals, creating sustainable success.
Body Image and Self-Care: How They Impact Mental and Physical Health
Your feelings about your body significantly affect how you care for it, influencing both mental and physical health. Negative body image can lead to poor self-care habits and health complications.
Body image combines how you see yourself and what you wish to look like, ranging from realistic to distorted ideals. When your body image is realistic and attainable, self-care improves, promoting overall well-being. However, dissatisfaction with appearance may push people toward unhealthy behaviors, such as excessive exercise or restrictive eating, in pursuit of unrealistic goals.
In severe cases like body dysmorphia, no amount of dieting, exercise, or surgery satisfies the desired image, often resulting in dangerous habits and conditions like eating disorders, nutrient deficiencies, osteoporosis, and heart issues. Promoting a healthy body image is key to fostering balanced mental and physical health.
Undernourished teenage girls need saturated fats for essential body functions like hormone regulation and menstruation, as a pediatric endocrinologist once emphasized while I worked with a client battling a severe eating disorder. This insight shifted my perspective on nutrition, underscoring the importance of balance for both those with eating disorders and individuals managing weight issues.
Over-restricting “fun foods” like quick-digesting carbs or labeling foods as “good” or “bad” can lead to under-fueling, harming both physical and mental health. Promoting balanced eating habits is essential to preventing malnutrition and supporting overall well-being at any age.
Building trust with your child starts at birth and becomes more challenging as they grow. Open communication is essential, but many parents worry about sharing too much or having tough conversations too soon. The key is to be honest, stick to the facts, and tailor discussions to your child’s age. Consistency is crucial in fostering trust and open dialogue over time.
When addressing substance use, early intervention is critical. Author Matthias Jung emphasizes discussing topics like smoking, vaping, drugs, and addiction before age 13 for greater impact. If you’re unsure how to approach these conversations, seek help from an expert.
Fall is a great time to make changes in your life. Mel Robbins says this is based on research. Robbins says September has natural benefits, including the physical and mental cues of shifting routines, similar to the “back to school” mentality. This creates a built-in motivation for personal development that lasts well into November. Time to schedule a health or parenting call with Siah Fried. She will help you be accountable with her Move FORWARD coaching plan.
My philosophy toward nutrition aligns with creating a balanced approach to eating. By refraining from categorizing foods as strictly “good” or “bad,” we foster a healthier relationship with food. Instead, we can refer to less nutrient-dense foods as “sometimes foods.” This shift in language helps to normalize all food choices and lessens the emotional weight associated with them. It encourages individuals to view eating as a source of nourishment and enjoyment rather than a source of guilt or anxiety. By developing this mindset, we can significantly reduce the risk of disordered eating and support a more positive body image. Ultimately, it’s about cultivating resilience and understanding that nutrition is just one aspect of our overall well-being.
