How to help my mentally challenged brother be healthy/ a good book recommendation?

[Anonymous]

He is very unhealthy, eats donuts, MacDonald's, rarely gets outside mostly watches cartoons all day. My parents don't really care about health/are idiots. I am too poor to afford to buy him good food, I am trying to convince him to come grocery shopping with me (using his social security money). He has gotten his health education from TV ads, I hear him repeat what they say in the ads but I know he doesn't really understand it, I would love to find a book for him about health that make it simple and easy to understand, I don't really want a kid's book because he would not take it seriously and I don't want him to feel like a child(he's 23). I am really bothered by the health industry and all the lies that are out there just to make someone money. I try to tell my brother, fruits and veggies are good for you, the sun is good for you, but it doesn't really sink in... we have a great relationship though if I make him a fruit smoothie he will drink it, I have started a garden and that has helped him eat more veggies and also he comes outside to hang out with me, I will keep doing these things, but would like him to have a book to reference and be reminded.

[RuthlRobinson]

Well, I know a little about what your talking about, my son, has a mental illness, also.( Maybe not the same but they both have to eat well). I went on-line and found vitamins that he should be taking,( Look up foods and vitamins to help him, put what the name of the illness is),and thank God, I've always gave them, my kids, some of the same vitamins. When I find out things about how to help your life and health be better, I tell my kids! I tell him what each vitamins is for and how it helps him inside. And how the junk food is hurting him inside, and how it makes him react! My mother sent me a book called, " Giant Book of Kitchen Counter Cures", by Jerry Baker . This book shows you 117 foods that fight all kinds of illness and how to eat healthy. Maybe, your parents can get it. This is healthy for not only him, but, everyone! Foods that we can eat that give us healthy energy, helps make your mind stable, along with positive thoughts, got to have positive thoughts to go along with every thing! With his medication and the vitamins and the right foods, he will find his self feeling , thinking better! My son tells me he feels better at times! He's 20, so I guess he don't want me to know how good he really feels so I won't make him clean or go look for another job, or go to college! Not! lol! So don't stop trying to help, but take care of you too. Because after you told and showed him, he has to want to keep it up, with out your help! hope this helps!

[Izzy2102]

I don't think a single book is gonna do it. It's a process and it takes time. I'd maybe go for some documentries and some websites he might find interesting on the topic and then do it bit by bit. There are tons free, interesting documentries on YouTube, I can send you some links if you like. Often getting the whole thing with images sinks in better

I think for many people the problem is not knowing what is healthy. Most people know helthy food just fine, the problem is knowing what's unhealthy and how unhealthy it actually is. Like baked beans are a good, healthy meal if prepared at home. The canned ones are stuffed with sugar and chemicals. So maybe go grocery shopping with him and go through some of the labels together, then prepare healthy, homemade alternatives for him

[martyfellow]

Introduce him to other people who are health-conscious. See if you can put together a group of people, maybe a group of gardeners, that he can interact with as much as possible. Also, the more time he spends away from TV and the media, the better!

[Stacyzee]

You sound like a great sister !

Keep doing what you are doing.

You can even take him to the library and find fun books on health for him.

You can even find fun videos online that introduce this.

You can even download apps (I like this one called "awesomeeats") it's fun and educational at the same time. It helps him sort fruits and vegetables and tells you interesting facts about them.

You can even take him to a garden around your area and show him all the vegetables that grow on plants.

You pretty much have to keep finding different interesting ways so it can grab his attention.

[Stacyzee]

Each time you see him, come by with a different healthy snack and tell him what it is and about it. After doing this for a while form conversation with him. Telling him which fruit or snack you like best and why. Then ask him, which one he really likes.

[teapot1]

Yes, you're an incredibly amazing sister. Perhaps there are some social/youth groups he could attend where there are people with the same mental health issues or related as him? Usually people learn better in groups and through interaction. That way he can feel independent and make choices.

[Titi18]

Honestly he has such an amazing sister, his very

Lucky to have such a caring person like you in his life...

But to be honest if his mom and dad don't even care

I don't think your gonna be able to help much,

Unless you convince your parents to help change his diet

You need thier help with you on this, its not easy

Dealing with a mentally challenged person.

Goodluck !

[Anonymous]

You're a really good sister. It might help if you help him get a group of friends who like to do all those things...you could even consider asking him to hang out with you and your friends maybe, and start getting him to associate fun/friends with healthy activities.

[Anonymous]

Get him to play outside and be active. Maybe get him a pet dog

[Ryanatix]

make him watch the food hospital

[Seek81]

no, the psychological agenda will "help" him.

[Asker]

well anything would be better than the psychological agenda from the tv...

[kheserthorpe]

He has to want it.

[kheserthorpe]

I'm reading this again, and the key information is in the question 'mentally challenged'. Can you give us any more details? Because that's going to change things, but the specifics depend on HIS challenge.