10-year-old Fitness Guru Known as The “Workout Kid” Turns Heads

Yesterday I did an article about an elder taking the fitness world by storm. Now it’s time to show you the youngest. Meet C J Senter

C.J. Senter may or may not be the next Tony Horton or the next Barry Sanders, but he is definitely the next 10-year-old to watch.

Granted, when most people hear “child prodigy,” they rightfully raise an eyebrow and wonder who is pulling the strings. Add a workout DVD by a fourth-grader with sculpted muscles to the mix and “cute” can turn to “concerning.” But it turns out the story behind “C.J. The Workout Kid” is a lot more inspiring than insidious.

C.J. started working out five years ago when his football coach told him and his teammates to go home over a weekend and get some exercise. He did some push-ups and sit-ups and loved it. Not too long after, he saw a P90X infomercial and loved that too. He’s been working out ever since. C.J. does his own routines three times a week, after school and homework, and he’s given new names to some old and boring moves, like the burpee, which involves a squat, push-up, and jump. C.J. calls that one the “shredder.” He even teaches a class of (mostly older) kids at the gym near where he lives in Locust Grove, Ga.

“It feels great,” C.J. says by phone from his Georgia home. “I love staying fit and healthy.”

But wait a minute. Research shows kids shouldn’t be touching weights until at least age 15.

“I don’t use weights,” C.J. says.

Not even bench press?

“I don’t bench press,” he says. “It’s not good for kids.”

Surely he’s on some insane diet, right? His dad feeds him wheat grass and cow brain, perhaps?

“I’m not on a diet,” C.J. says. “I eat everything.”

Disbelieving? So is Carlos Senter — C.J.’s dad. Carlos has spent most of his son’s life in shock, ever since C.J. somehow climbed out of his crib — at seven months old.

“It was two, three o’clock in the morning,” Carlos says, “and boom! My wife would go look in his room and here he comes, crawling out. He would go into the refrigerator, too.”

Carlos can’t quite figure out how his son got to be so fit. He says his relatives put on muscle easily, but not this easily. C.J. has an older brother and a younger sister who don’t really love sports as much. And Dad isn’t exactly chiseled like Terrell Owens. In fact, he admits C.J.’s work ethic has shamed him and his wife into getting into better shape.

“He doesn’t really eat candy,” Carlos says. “I have no idea why.”

And for that matter, Carlos has no idea why his son doesn’t have an attitude. “This kid will score a touchdown, take the football to the ref and act like nothing ever happened,” Carlos says. “If it was me, well, I probably would be a little different.”

But as much as the “Workout Kid” routine is working — C.J.’s DVDs are in so much demand that his dad hired a PR rep — Carlos says he gives most of the DVDs away for free and the primary objective is to help kids get off the couch.

C.J.’s primary objective has always been the same thing: make it to the NFL. He’s a running back and safety, modeling his game after another C.J. — Titans speed demon Chris Johnson.

C.J.’s already been named MVP for the state of Georgia as an 8-and-under, and last year he played in the 10-and-under group as a 9-year-old. Carlos says that the team run by former NFL running back Jamal Lewis expressed interest in having C.J. commute to Atlanta to join up, but the drive was simply too far.

High school coaches are already aware of C.J., but Carlos, who runs a local barber shop, insists on not looking too far ahead.

“As long as he’s happy,” Carlos says, “I’m happy.”

C.J. does seem happy, even though he’s a little bit tired of when kids come up to him at school and ask, “Are those your real muscles?”

The next generation of Atlanta prep football players is about to find out.

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www.HealingPowerHour.com 

Male Circumcision Originally Created To Prevent Masturbation

When circumcision was introduced, it was believed that masturbation caused a lot of different illnesses. It was considered extremely immoral and many children, both male and female, have been circumcised through the years because parents found them “in the act.”

It was already known at the end of the 1800s that the removal of the foreskin, which is the only moveable part of the penis would reduce sexual sensitivity and restrict movement of the penile shaft.

It was believed that masturbation caused blindness, mental illness, alcoholism, epilepsy and several other ills. It therefore made sense to some physicians that circumcision would stop masturbation and prevent the onset of these illnesses.

Non-religious circumcision in English-speaking countries arose in a climate of negative attitudes towards sex, especially concerning masturbation. In her 1978 article The Ritual of Circumcision, Karen Erickson Paige writes: “In the United States, the current medical rationale for circumcision developed after the operation was in wide practice. The original reason for the surgical removal of the foreskin, or prepuce, was to control ‘masturbatory insanity’ – the range of mental disorders that people believed were caused by the ‘polluting’ practice of ‘self-abuse.’”

“Self-abuse” was a term commonly used to describe masturbation in the 19th century. According to Paige, “treatments ranged from diet, moral exhortations, hydrotherapy, and marriage, to such drastic measures as surgery, physical restraints, frights, and punishment. Some doctors recommended covering the penis with plaster of Paris, leather, or rubber; cauterization; making boys wear chastity belts or spiked rings; and in extreme cases, castration.” Paige details how circumcision became popular as a masturbation remedy:

“In the 1890s, it became a popular technique to prevent, or cure, masturbatory insanity. In 1891 the president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England published On Circumcision as Preventive of Masturbation, and two years later another British doctor wrote Circumcision: Its Advantages and How to Perform It, which listed the reasons for removing the ‘vestigial’ prepuce. Evidently the foreskin could cause ‘nocturnal incontinence,’ hysteria, epilepsy, and irritation that might ‘give rise to erotic stimulation and, consequently, masturbation.’ Another physician, P.C. Remondino, added that ‘circumcision is like a substantial and well-secured life annuity…it insures better health, greater capacity for labor, longer life, less nervousness, sickness, loss of time, and less doctor bills.’ No wonder it became a popular remedy.”

At the same time circumcisions were advocated on men, clitoridectomies (removal of the clitoris) were also performed for the same reason (to treat female masturbators). The US “Orificial Surgery Society” for female “circumcision” operated until 1925, and clitoridectomies and infibulations would continue to be advocated by some through the 1930s. As late as 1936, L. E. Holt, an author of pediatric textbooks, advocated male and female circumcision as a treatment for masturbation.

One of the leading advocates of circumcision was John Harvey Kellogg. (yes, the Kellogg from the famous Corn Flakes!) He advocated the consumption of Kellogg’s corn flakes to prevent masturbation, and he believed that circumcision would be an effective way to eliminate masturbation in males.

“Covering the organs with a cage has been practiced with entire success. A remedy which is almost always successful in small boys is circumcision, especially when there is any degree of phimosis. The operation should be performed by a surgeon without administering an anesthetic, as the brief pain attending the operation will have a salutary effect upon the mind, especially if it be connected with the idea of punishment, as it may well be in some cases. The soreness which continues for several weeks interrupts the practice, and if it had not previously become too firmly fixed, it may be forgotten and not resumed. If any attempt is made to watch the child, he should be so carefully surrounded by vigilance that he cannot possibly transgress without detection. If he is only partially watched, he soon learns to elude observation, and thus the effect is only to make him cunning in his vice.”

Robert Darby, writing in the Australian Medical Journal, noted that some 19th century circumcision advocates—and their opponents—believed that the foreskin was sexually sensitive:

In the 19th century the role of the foreskin in erotic sensation was well understood by physicians who wanted to cut it off precisely because they considered it the major factor leading boys to masturbation. The Victorian physician and venereologist William Acton (1814–1875) damned it as “a source of serious mischief”, and most of his contemporaries concurred. Both opponents and supporters of circumcision agreed that the significant role the foreskin played in sexual response was the main reason why it should be either left in place or removed. William Hammond, a Professor of Mind in New York in the late 19th century, commented that “circumcision, when performed in early life, generally lessens the voluptuous sensations of sexual intercourse”, and both he and Acton considered the foreskin necessary for optimal sexual function, especially in old age. Jonathan Hutchinson, English surgeon and pathologist (1828–1913), and many others, thought this was the main reason why it should be excised

When it was finally realized that masturbation did not cause illnesses, the foreskin got blamed for penile and cervical cancers, urinary tract infections and sexually transmitted diseases.

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I believe that relating the non-religious history of circumcision is important in understanding why the procedure came to be.

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Hamburgers Linked To Asthma In Children

Children who eat a Mediterranean diet have a lower risk of developing asthma, but eating three or more burgers a week is linked to a higher risk, research suggests.

Researchers looked at 50,000 children from 20 countries.

Writing in the journal Thorax, they said eating fruit, vegetables and fish appeared to protect against asthma.

But they said eating burgers could be linked to other unhealthy habits, which may be the real trigger factor.

The study looked at the habits of children in both wealthy and poorer countries between 1995 and 2005. Parents were asked about their children’s diets, and whether they had ever been diagnosed with asthma or had suffered wheezing.

The effects of their diet seemed to vary depending on where they lived.

Fruit and vegetables appeared to be more protective in less affluent parts of the world, while eating lots of fish was more helpful in richer countries.

Eating at least three burgers a week was linked to a greater risk of asthma and wheezing, but only in wealthier countries.

Dr Gabriele Nagel, one of the authors, said this may be because asthma is a collection of symptoms rather than a single condition, and different things may trigger it in different parts of the world.

“This gives us more understanding of how asthma affects different people, and its effects in developing as well as developed countries,” she said.

The paper suggested that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables may be helpful because of the protective effects of antioxidants and vitamin C.

High levels of unhealthy fats in burgers could increase the risk of asthma. However, the authors said children who ate several burgers a week were likely to have other unhealthy lifestyle habits as well.

The study did not adjust for levels of obesity.

Obesity link

Asthma UK said the paper helped add to the understanding of how asthma and diet are connected.

But it urged caution because children’s weight can have a significant influence on asthma symptoms.

Dr Elaine Vickers, research relations manager at Asthma UK, said: “Previous studies have shown that a Mediterranean-style diet rich in fruit and vegetables can help to reduce a child’s risk of developing asthma symptoms.

“Our advice to parents is therefore to ensure that children eat a healthy, balanced diet and also get plenty of exercise.”

Dr Keith Prowse from the British Lung Foundation said further investigation was needed for more conclusive evidence about the effects of diet and lifestyle.

“We would like to reinforce the need for children to have a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle,” he said.

 

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Akilah M. El, N.D. is a Naturopathic Doctor and board-certified Master Herbalist with a private practice in Atlanta Georgia and Berlin Germany. Join Dr Akilah El on Facebook and Twitter

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The Young and the Unhealthy

Parents will always do their best to keep their children safe, but there are some who unwittingly sacrifice their children’s health by allowing them to eat potentially harmful junk food without thinking about the consequences. Dr. Joseph Mercola warns that children’s preferences for salt, sugar and fat in foods are a result of what they’re fed.

USA Today says, “Parents need to carefully consider the types of foods they give to young children at home and in restaurants … Repeated exposure builds taste preferences.”

The Alarming Truth about American Children’s Diets

According to British chef and food advocate Jamie Oliver, our food culture has changed so drastically over the last 30 years. He says that the majority of children today don’t know what fresh, whole foods are. He illustrates how the three aspects of the “food landscape”—home, school, and main street—have all abandoned real food in favor of quick, cheap, processed foods.

A recent study revealed that junk food constitutes almost half of the calories ingested by average two to 18-year-old Americans. The sources of empty calories included:

• Soda
• Fruit drinks
• Pizza
• Dairy desserts like ice cream
• Grain desserts (cake, cookies, and doughnuts)
• Whole milk

Dr. Mercola says that this type of diet is the reason why many children in the U.S. and other parts of the world are undernourished.

Soda and Junk Food Affects Children’s Food Choices

One factor that affects children’s food preference is brand awareness. Researchers observed the link between the taste preferences of more than 100 preschool children and their emerging awareness of fast food and sugary drink brands. All of the children were able to pair at least some products with the companies that produced them.

“Children who were exposed to junk food, soda, and fast food — via advertising and also because their parents fed them these foods — learned to recognize and prefer these foods over healthier choices,” says Dr. Mercola.

Junk Food Also Affects Children’s IQ levels

A separate study discovered that children who consume large amounts of processed foods, fat, and sugar at the age of three have a lower IQ when they turn 8 ½ years old. (http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/feb/07/diet-children-iq)

“Every one-point increase in the study’s dietary pattern score – a record of processed fat intake – was associated with a 1.67-point fall in IQ,” The Guardian reports.

On the other hand, children with healthier diets have higher IQ levels. For every measured increase in dietary score—meaning the child eats more fruits and vegetables—a 1.2-point increase in IQ was seen.

Parents are Responsible for Their Children’s Healthy Diet

Children will not know which foods are healthy unless you, as a parent, educate them. Learn more about proper nutrition and the dangers of junk food and processed foods, so you can change the food culture of your entire family. Lead by example, so your child will have the best start in life and develop healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime.

Dr. Mercola recommends reading his nutrition plan, which will be the foundation of healthy food choices for your family. He advises cooking meals at home instead of buying processed, ready-to-eat food from restaurants and fast food chains.

Use whole foods when preparing meals. These are foods that have not been altered or processed from their original state. Whole foods have been grown or raised as nature intended, without chemical additives, pesticides, and fertilizers.

Dr. Mercola also advises taking probiotics. Processed foods and junk foods increase bad bacteria, leading to poor gut health. Probiotics replenishes the good bacteria in your digestive system and maintains the ideal ratio between good and bad bacteria.* For children who dislike taking pills, taking a probiotic supplement in powder form is the best option.

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ADD and ADHD- The Natural Cure

How to naturally, safely and “easily” Help Kids with ADD and ADHD

The first thing that needs to be understood is that the label of ADD and ADHD comes from a list of symptoms. And there are different causes for each symptom for each person. Said another way, every kid with the label of ADD or ADHD has different reasons why they got they label. So trying to treat “the ADD or ADHD” with one cure, whether natural or with drugs is never going to work.

The only thing you can do is add to the kid’s health and remove some of the common major contributing factors.

Some of the common major contributing factors to ADD and ADHD

1. Sugar
2. Allergies
3. Food and Toxin Sensitivities
4. Dehydration
5. Home Environment
6. (one that many parents hate to hear and often deny) Parenting

The average American “eats” over 300 lbs of refined carbohydrates – my definition of sugar. And since I don’t eat any, some people must eat 600 lbs.

Have you ever seen a kid on a “sugar high”? what happens? They act just about like every kid with the label of ADD and ADHD.

What many parents do not realize is all the disguises that sugar comes hidden in:

• Bread
• Pasta
• Cereal
• Flour
• Milk
• Juice
• Ketchup
• Chips
• Crackers
• Mayonnaise
• Pizza
• Frozen food
• Canned and Frozen vegetables
• Canned and Frozen fruit
• Almost anything in a jar
• Almost anything in a can

Along with the obvious ones:

• Ice cream
• Candy
• Soda
• Cookies
• Chocolate
• Most treat

And just about everything you buy in the grocery store. If you read the labels, the actual written out ingredients, not the white and black lined label that really tells you nothing, but the fine print label you have to look for. If you read that label on everything you buy you will see how refined carbohydrates are added to almost literally EVERYTHING you buy.

Why — because anything that rhymes with “gross” is a form of sugar. Glucose, dextrose, maltose, sucrose, fructose, and a couple others like corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, etc.

Allergies and food and toxin sensitivities are pretty much one in the same when it comes to kids with ADD and ADHD

The artificial colors, flavors and preservatives that are in most grocery store foods are the biggest culprit in this category.

In some kids these “toxins” are literally causing an “allergic reaction” of the behaviors often diagnosed as ADD and ADHD.

When you switch the child to a completely natural diet (organic) and free of man made junk, it is a huge step forward in having a “normally” behaving child again.

Dehydration is another huge contributing factor. The reason why this is so true is because the only thing that counts as water is water. Soda, kool-aide, pop, juice, sports drinks and everything that has anything added to it the body does not process and use the same as good old fashioned water.

So if your child (or you for that matter) is not drinking water as your main source of liquids, you are dehydrated.

Why does dehydration contribute to ADD or ADHD?

Let me ask you a question. What would happen if you through a toaster plugged into the wall into the bath with you? You would get a “nice” shock because electricity travels through water.

What does your brain and nerves control in your body?

EVERYTHING!!!!

And your brain and nerves are 80% water which is literally what the electrical impulses of the brain travel down.

So if there is a shortage of water, the “proper” messages are going to be jittered, scrambled and jumpy, just like the behavior of kids often diagnosed with ADD and ADHD.

Home environment and parenting.

There is this culture in Central America that has very little to no contact with the outside world. And one of the most interesting things about them, I find, is how they raise their kids. They never yell, they never have to punish them, and the kids always do what they are told/asked.

Upon questioning this group they ask them, how is that possible? And the answer they give is simple. We don’t’ ask them not to be a child. Have you ever seen a kid not be a kid? Have you ever seen a bird, not be a bird? If you just allow a kid to be a kid, they will always be perfect as a kid.

Said another way, it is our social conditioning that kids rebel against. It is in their nature to be kids. It has been for millions of years. When you/we ask them to not be a kid it is like asking a rabbit not to jump.

You wouldn’t think of asking a bird not to fly or a cat not to meow. That is what they do. That is who they are. And if you do ask that, well, good luck and have fun.

The same goes or kids. Kids have more energy because they still have more health in their bucket. They have more freedom and less fears and inhibitions stopping them. They are not concerned with how the other people in the grocery store will judge them. They don’t care about what their friends think. (until they get older and model the behavior of needing to “look good”) They are kids. Accept that they are kids and allow them to be kids and a lot of the ADD and ADHD behavior goes away.

Coupled with increasing their health and eliminating some of the other major contributing factors I talked about above, Ritalin can become a thing of the past.

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www.healingpowerhour.com